
Book_A "\ ZA £l- 

PRESENTED BY 



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MODERN 
SCIENTIFIC WHIST 

THE 

PRINCIPLES OF THE MODERN GAME 

ANALYZED AND EXTENDED 



ILLUSTRATED BY OVER 

SIXTY CRITICAL ENDINGS 

AND 

ANNOTATED GAMES 

FROM 

ACTUAL PLAY 



C D. P. HAMILTON 



JQcto pork 

BRENTANO'S 

LONDON CHICAGO WASHINGTON PARIS 



Mtv 



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Copyright, i8g4, 

BY 

BRENTANO'S 



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Ubis Boot? 

Is Fraternally Dedicated 



to 



THE WHIST-PLAYER 



WHO LOVES AND STUDIES 



THE FIRST OF GAMES 



PREFACE. 

This treatise on Whist is based upon the system of 
leads known as American Leads. 

The principle underlying these leads is the invention 
of N. B. Trist, Esq., of New Orleans, La.; and as now 
extended and simplified the Whist world is indebted to 
Mr. Henry Jones, M. R. C. S. (-" Cavendish "), of Lon- 
don, England. 

The purpose of this volume is to present to the 
student of the game the rules and maxims of play as 
laid down by the authorities, and practiced by the 
strongest players. And an effort has been made to 
simplify and render clear the applications of the many 
rules and maxims by copious analyses and numerous 
illustrations. Much space has been devoted to the play 
of second hand, the intricacies of end-play, the depart- 
ment of inference and to the management of trumps. 

The writer has no inventions to announce, no theories 
to defend, and is indebted to the literature of the game 
and to the expert players met in practice for all that 
appears in the following pages which may prove of value 
to the Students of Whist. 

C. D. P. H. 

February, 1894. 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



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CONTENTS. 

(For a complete Index, with cross-references, 
see pages 583-599.) 



Preface v 

CHAPTER I. 
Technical Terms, Abbreviations, etc n 

CHAPTER II. 
The First Hand or Lead 18 

CHAPTER III. 
Second Hand 100 

CHAPTER IV. 
Third Hand 160 

CHAPTER V. 
Fourth Hand 240 

CHAPTER VI. 
Trumps 246 

CHAPTER VII. 
The Call 267 



Vlll MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

CHAPTER- VIII. 
The Echo 277 

CHAPTER IX. 
The Trump Card 320 

CHAPTER X. 
Overtrumping 324 

CHAPTER XI. 
Blocking Partner in the Trump Suit 327 

CHAPTER XII. 
The Suit Echo 330 

CHAPTER XIII. 
Finesse 335 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Underplay 352 

CHAPTER XV. 
The Discard 359 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Leading to the Discard 374 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Forcing 378 



CONTENTS. IX 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Leading the Adversaries' Suit 387 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Leading Through the Strong Hand 389 

CHAPTER XX. 
Throwing the Lead 392 

CHAPTER XXI. 
Changing Suits 395 

CHAPTER XXII. 
The Return 397 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
The Twelfth 406 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
The Thirteenth 412 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Special Topics 416 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Counting the Hands 439 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
Critical Endings 455 



X MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Illustrative Hands 523 

Hand I. A Neat Play for the Odd 524 

Hand II. A Critical Ending 527 

Hand III. Compelling the Opponent to Play a 

Coup to Save the Game 532 

Hand IV. Departing from Rule 536 

Hand V. Anticipating a Call 539 

Hand VI. Holding Up 543 

Hand VII. Refusing to Answer the Call 547 

Hand VIII. Fine Play for the Odd Card 550 

Hand IX. Throwing High Cards 554 

Hand X. Holding Up and Underplay 558 

Hand XI. Leading Up to a Double Tenace in 

Trumps 561 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

Fundamental Principles of Whist Laws 566 

CHAPTER XXX. 

The Laws of American Whist 568 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Laws of Whist 574 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

Etiquette of Whist 58 1 

Index 583 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER I. 

TECHNICAL TERMS, ABBREVIATIONS, ETC. 

Bring In. — To make the cards of a suit. 

Call. — To ask for trumps ; a conventional, play request- 
ing partner to lead trumps. See " signal." 

Command. — The ability to take every trick in a suit no 
matter by whom led. 

Conventional. — This term is applicable to any gener- 
ally recognized order of play. You play 
" conventionally " when you lead the knave 
from king, queen, knave and two small. 

Coup. — A strategic stroke ; a brilliant play resulting in 
gain. 

Court Cards. — Ace, king, queen and knave. 

Cover. — To play a card higher than the one led. 

Cross-Ruff.— When "A" trumps a suit led by " B " who in 
turn trumps a suit led by "A." See " see-saw." 

Dealer. — The one who deals; i.e., distributes the 
cards to each player. 

Deschapelles Coup. — The play of a king or other 
high card at the head of many, for the purpose 
of forcing the ace or other high card, to make 
good a smaller card in partner's hand. 



12 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Discard. — To play a card of a different plain suit than 
the one led. 

Echo. — To echo partner's call ; /. e., to show by play 
that you have more than three trumps. 

Eldest Hand. — The player to the left of the dealer. 

Establish. — A suit is established when you have com- 
plete control. See " command." 

Exposed Card. — Every card faced upon the table 
otherwise than in the regular course of play. 

Fall. — The cards that have been played. 

False Card. — An unconventional play for the purpose 
of deceiving opponents. 

Finesse. — Artifice ; stratagem. An endeavor to take a 
trick with a lower card when a higher is in your 
hand. When you do not play your best of two 
or more cards, not in sequence (second or 
third hand), you finesse ; as when holding ace, 
queen and others, to partner's lead, you play 
queen. 

Follow. — The cards played to the card led. The card 
led by the leader after a high card, as "A" led 
ace, and followed with the knave, is referred to 
as "the lead and follow." 

Force — Leading a card that an opponent must trump 
to win, or a losing card that partner must 
trump to gain the trick. 

Fourchette. — The card next higher and next lower 
than the one led ; i. e., holding queen, ten — 
knave led — you have a fourchette. 

Fourth Best. — The fourth-best card of a suit, as — ■ 
queen, 9, 8, 6, 4, — the " 6 " is the fourth-best 
card. 

Fourth Hand. — The player to the right of the leader ; 
i. e., the last player upon a trick. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 1 3 

Game. — Scoring seven points or more. 

Grand Coup. — Throwing away a superfluous trump to 
avoid the lead. See " Critical Endings." 

Guarded. — A high card protected by smaller ones, that 
the high card may not fall to a higher one. 

Hand. — The thirteen cards given to each player by the 
dealer. The four hands combined are referred 
to as the hand or deal. 

High Cards. — Ace, king, queen, knave, 10, 9. 

Holding Up. — Refusing to take a trick. 

Honors. — Ace, king, queen, knave of trumps. 

In. — The cards that have not been played are said to be 
"in "or "in play." 

In the Lead. — When it is your turn to lead the first 
card in any round or trick, you are in the lead. 

Leader. — The first player. 

Leading Through. — Leading a suit in which the left- 
hand adversary is strong. 

Leading Up To. — When the opponent returns a suit 
making the original leader of the suit last play- 
er to the trick, it is termed " leading up to." 

Long. — To be " long" in a suit is to have great numer- 
ical strength in it. 

Long Suit. — A suit of more than three cards. 

Long Trump. — The last trump in play. 

Losing Card. — A card that may not take a trick. 

Love. — No score. 

Love-all. — Synonymous with " love." 

Low Cards. — All the cards below the 9. Synonymous 
.with " small cards." 

Make. — You " make " cards when you take tricks with 
them. 

Make Up. — The partner of the dealer makes up the 
pack for the next dealer. 



14 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Master Card. — Any card of a suit the best in play. 

Odd Card. — When A B take seven tricks, C D six, A B 
are said to have the odd caid. 

Odd Trick. — Synonymous with " odd card." 

Opening. — You " open " a suit when you are the first 
to lead a card from the suit. The original 
leader of the hand is said to open the hand. 

Out. — The cards that have been played are " out " of 
play. 

Partie. — A series of games or rubbers contested by the 
same players is referred to as a. partie. 

Pass. — When you do not make an effort to take a trick, 
although in your power to do so, you are said to 
pass. 

Penultimate. — Now obsolete ; superseded by fourth 
best. In a suit of ace, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, the 4 is the 
penultimate, the 5 is the antepenultimate. 

Plain Suit. — A suit not trump. 

Plain Suit Echo. — A conventional order for play by 
third hand to show exactly four cards of the 
suit led by partner and also to unblock, usu- 
ally termed unblocking. See " unblocking " 
(page 161). 

Points. — Each trick in excess of six. 

Quart.- — Four — four cards in sequence. 

Quart Major. — Ace, king, queen, knave of any suit. 

Quint. — Five cards in sequence. 

Quitted. — When a player's hand has been withdrawn 
from a trick, after turning it down on the table, 
the trick is "quitted." 

Re-entry. — Gaining possession of the lead. A card 
of re-entry is one that will give the holder the 
lead — usually at an advanced stage of the 
hand. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 15 

Renouncing. — Playing a card of a plain suit other than 
the suit led. 

Revoke. — A renounce in error not corrected in time, 
that is, playing a card of another plain suit, yet 
holding one or more of the suit led, or trump- 
ing a trick when you can follow suit. See 
" The Laws of Whist." 

Round. — The cards played to the card led ; /. e., the 
cards that compose the trick, hence there are 
thirteen tricks or rounds in each hand. 

Rubber. — Two out of three games, or two in succession. 

Ruffing. — Trumping a plain suit card. 

Score. — The record of points made upon the game. 

Second Hand. — The hand to the left of the leader. 

See-Saw. — Alternate trumping by partners. See " Cross- 
ruff." 

Sequence. — Two or more cards in regular order as to 
rank. Ace, king is a sequence of two cards. 
Three in sequence is a tierce; hence ace, king, 
queen is a tierce major ; four, a quart j five, a 
quint sequence, etc. A suit of ace, king, queen, 
3, 2, contains a head sequence ; ace, knave, 10, 
9, 3, an intermediate sequence ; ace, 9, 8, 7, an 
under sequence ; ace, king, queen, 9, 8, 7, con- 
tains a head sequence and a subordinate 
sequence. 

Short Suit. — One of less than four cards. 

Signal. — Synonymous with call ; i.e., to play a.r\unneces- 
sarily high card followed by a smaller one of the 
same suit. All conventional plays are signals — 
they give notice, inform of certain holding, etc. 

Single Discard Call. — The discard of an 8 or higher 
card of a suit not yet in play, is a request for 
trumps. 



l6 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST 

Singleton. — A suit of which you hold originally but one 

card. 
Suit. — One of the four main divisions of the pack, as 

the club suit. 
Small Cards. — All the cards below the 9. 
Strengthening Card. — A medium high card led to 

partner's supposed suit (or one that is pro- 
claimed as his), for the purpose of forcing a 

higher card — if against — thus making partner's 

smaller cards of the suit good. 
Strong Suit. — A suit composed of both high cards and 

numerical strength. 
Tenace. — The best and third-best cards of a suit in play 

is a major tenace, as ace, queen, against the 

minor tenace of k, kn — the second and fourth 

best. 
Third Hand. — The leader's partner. 
Thirteenth. — The last card of any suit in play. 
Throwing the Lead. — Purposely playing a losing card 

that you may not remain in the lead. 
Tierce. — Sequence of three cards, as tierce to king, is — 

king, queen and knave. 
Trick. — The four cards of a round — the three played to 

the card led. 
Trumps. — All the cards of the same suit as the card 

turned by dealer. 
Trump Card. — The last card of the pack, and the one 

the dealer turns face up to his right. 
Underplay. — Playing a low card when holding a higher 

one — refusing to take a trick. Also termed 

holding up. 
Weak Suit. — One containing few or no high cards. 
Yarborough. — A hand in which all the cards are smaller 

than the 10. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

The Table. 




This diagram illustrates the table. A and B are part- 
ners; C and D the opposing partners. D is the dealer, 
and A the leader, when not otherwise stated. " You " 
generally signifies "A," and " B " means your partner. 
" C " is second hand to the original lead, " B " third hand, 
" D " fourth hand. 

Abbreviations. 

Spade or spades — " s." 

Heart or hearts — " h." 

Club or clubs — " c." 

Diamond or diamonds — " d." 

King— "k." 

Queen — "qu." 

Knave — " kn." 

The cards below the knave are designated by the 
digits — 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The 3 and 2 are also 
called the Trey and Deuce. 



CHAPTER II. 

' THE FIRST HAND OR LEAD. 

The theory of modern scientific whist is the combina- 
tion of forces ; this demands a systematic course and 
affords the original leader of the hand but little choice 
as to which card to lead, after the suit has been deter- 
mined upon. It is conventional to open the suit that has 
the greatest numerical strength, and experience has 
demonstrated that this is usually best. The card to lead 
is the one that will at once afford the most information 
and at the same time be in harmony with the general 
order. This brings the whole scheme of leading within 
the scope of general principles, and makes it practicable 
to prepare a table of leads that will harmonize, and be 
applicable to all but exceptional hands. It follows that 
if partners adopt the same system, they at once begin to 
count the hands, and are thus enabled to combine their 
forces and really play a partnership game. Each card 
thrown will carry with it a certain amount of information, 
and the first card of all will proclaim almost the exact 
combination led from. 

A table embracing all the leads has the appearance of 
being extremely complicated and intricate; this in reality 
is not the case. There are 635,013,559,600 possible 
hands at whist. So also would it take a family of ten 
persons sitting at dinner 3,628,800 days or nearly 10,000 
years to make all the changes possible in their chairs at 
the table, — making one change a day. On the same 
principle the five highest cards — ace, king, queen, knave, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



l 9 



ten — can be arranged 120 different ways. This is the 
mathematical feature of it; the practical part of it is that 
there are virtually but twelve combinations from which a 
high card is led. The combinations forming the basis 
for the high card leads are few, their possible variations 
enormous. 

Each of the following "high"* cards: Ace, king, 
queen, knave, 10, 9, with the exception of the queen, is 
led, at the most, from only two combinations (the queen 
from three). The " middle " card, the 8, and the "low " 
cards — 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, are led from all other combina- 
tions, and are always led (barring exceptional situations) 
as fourth-best cards — /. e., the leader has three cards in 
the suit higher than the one led. 

The combinations of high cards which form the basis 
of all high-card leads will be analyzed before giving the 
leads in detail. 



This card is led from two combinations, and marks five 
or more cards in suit, or ace, queen, knave, four or more in 
suit. Here are the two combinations from which the ace 
is led: 

Wi 




— and any one or more. 



-and any four or more which do not in- 
clude both king and queen. 



* The student is referred to the chapter on Technical Terms, in 
which will be found all the technical terms used in this work, 
together with their meaning. 



20 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. i. — In this combination the ace is led when ac- 
companied with the queen and knave, even if only four 
in suit. No. 2, however, forms the basis of all the nu- 
merous leads of this card. In explanation of No 2, the 
student is reminded that when he decides to open a suit 
of five or more cards, the ace being one, and the suit 
not containing both king and queen, the ace is the card 
to lead. In exceptional hands the fourth best may be 
led from ace and four or more cards, when all the other 
cards are small ones, as — ace, 6, 5, 4, 3. It matters not 
which four (or more) of all the twelve cards of the suit 
are with the ace — lead ace; so that, as a general principle, 
to know when it is conventional to lead the ace, is a very 
simple matter. 



The king is led originally from a suit of exactly four 
cards, and from these two combinations only : — 

— and any two. 



4-" 



\tXk 




4jTf 









— and any two. 



Here again the student is reminded how simple the 
general rule is for leading the king — there must be four 
cards only of the suit, and the king must invariably be 
accompanied by either ace or queen. It matters not 
what three cards — high or low — are with the king, if 
the ace or queen is one. 

The old lead of the king from ace, king — or king, 
queen and more than two others — is now obsolete. The 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 21 

better play has relegated it to the shelf together with the 
many good things that the better things have crowded 
out. 

B9S 



This card is led from these three combinations : 



— and any two or more in 
which the knave is not 
included. 

and any three or more in which 
the knave is not included. 

—and any one or more 
small, including the 9 as 
a small card. 

The queen announces a suit of five cards or more 
(except that in No. 7 there may be only four), and 
declares that either king, or ace, king are in hand. If 
the lead is from No. 7, the fall to the first round in con- 
junction with the cards partner holds in the suit will 
nearly always show it 




The knave is led from two combinations : — 




and any one or 
more. 



and any two or more. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



It will be seen that the knave shows the king and 
queen — possibly the ace also, and proclaims a suit of at 
least five cards. 

Most of the authorities, and many of the finest play- 
ers, have abandoned the lead of the knave from knave, 
10, 9, etc. Analysis demonstrates that there is little if any 
advantage in favor of the lead of the knave as against 
the fourth best. The best players do not cover the 
knave second hand with either the king or queen, as the 
ace must be to the left, thus annulling the principal 
object in leading the knave from the tierce to knave 
combination. As a matter of taking tricks in the one 
suit, the lead of the knave may perhaps be slightly the 
better lead. In the majority of situations it is immaterial ; 
in the others the combinations in favor of the knave or 
the fourth best are about equally divided. The object 
in abandoning the lead of the knave from the head of a 
sequence is found in the fact that it greatly simplifies 
the play of third hand and removes — practically — all 
duality of inference. The trend of modern whist, in 
the matter of high-card leads, is in the direction of sim- 
plification ; and perfection seems to have been reached 
in this regard, for the high-card leads, as now favored, 
herald almost the exact holding. 



4» » 4» 



This card is led from one combination only : — 

-and any one or more 
small — including the 9 
as a small card. 




4. , 4. 



The lead of the 10 marks the king, knave, and denies 
the ace and queen. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



23 



* 4> 

+ JU* 



The nine is led from two combinations and shows- 
like the king — exactly four cards : — 



-only. 



4. 




* 






A JL A 

*A* 




4. 4, 

4. A 

*** 



A JL A 
4. ' * 

4»** 



4, 4. 

4. 4. 

*** 

4. 4. 



— only. 



The 9 marks the ace, 10, and either queen or knave. 

The following table shows in condensed form the 
twelve combinations which are the basis of all the high- 
card leads. 

Table of Leads, No. 1. 



LEAD 




FROM 


Ace. 


1 

2 


Ace, qu, kn — and a?iy one or more. 
Ace — and any four or more which do not 
include both kg and qu. 


King. 


3 

4 


Ace, kg — and any two. 
King, qu — and any two. 


Queen. 


5 
6 

7 


Ace, kg, qu — and any two or more in 
which the kn is not included. 

King, qu — and any three or more in 
which the kn is not included. 

Queen, kn, 10 — and one or more small. 


Knave. 


8 
9 


Ace, kg, qu, kn — and any one or more. 
King, qu, kn — and any two or more. 


10. 


10 


King, kn, 10— and any one or more (in- 
cluding the 9). 


9- 


11 
12 


Ace, qu, 10, 9 — ronly. 
Ace, kn, 10, 9 — only. 



24 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

The Fourth Best. 

The 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 are led, as original leads, 
only as fourth-best cards, and, as in the case of a high card 
being led, represent the best suit in hand. The leader 
has exactly three cards in the suit higher in rank 
than the card led ; and an inference is that these 
three cards are not high cards in sequence. When 
a low card (plain suit) is led originally, the leader can- 
not hold of the suit led, ace and king; king and queen; 
queen, knave and 10 ; or king, knave, 10 ; the ace is also 
denied if the fall shows that the leader has any card of 
the suit lower than the card led, as with more than four 
the ace is led. 



* * 



The 8 is the seventh card in rank counting from either 
end of the suit, hence it is termed the " middle card." 
It follows that there are six cards higher than this card, 
and, when the 8 is led originally, three of these higher 
cards must be in the leader's hand. This card is led from 
ten combinations, five of which are from exactly four in 
suit, the ace at the head. The student cannot become 
too familiar with the rank of the different cards. It is 
this familiarity that enables the expert to draw inferences 
rapidly, and with but little mental effort. In the play of 
a single hand at Whist there are so many things to note, 
and so many inferences to draw, that few players ever 
become very proficient. This is in a large measure due 
to the fact that few take the comparatively little pains 
necessary to know all about the rank and value of the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



25 



different cards. Most people who play Whist seem to 
prefer to rest satisfied with an informal introduction, as 
it were, to the cards, and never get upon intimate terms 
with them. 

There are ten combinations from which the 8 is led, as 
shown by the following tabulation: 

Eight Leads. 





FROM 


LEAD 


I. - 


Ace, qu, io 


8 


2. . 


Ace, qu, 9 


8 


3-- 


Ace, kn, 10 


8 


4-- 


Ace, kn, 9 


8 


5-- 


Ace, 10, 9 


8 


6.. 


Kg, kn, 9 


8* 


7-- 


Kg, 10, 9 


8* 


8.. 


Ou, kn, 9 


8* 


9-- 


Qu, 10, 9 


8* 


IO.. 


Kn, 10, 9 


8* 



* The combinations Nos. 6 to 10 inclusive, may be of exactly 
four cards or any one of them may contain any or all of the cards 
smaller than the 8. 



These leads of the 8 will repay careful analysis. Note 
that of the ten leads five are from exactly four cards, and 
that if a card is added lower than the 8 to any of these 
five combinations, then the ace must be led ; if a card 
higher than the 8 is added, the combination becomes one 
of the twelve found in table No. 1 (page 23), and a high 
card must be led. Note also, that if any player holds the 
ace and 9 ; 10 and 9 ; ace, kn, 9 ; qu, kn, 9, etc., to the 8 
led in plain suit, that the lead is forced, and that the leader 
cannot have three cards higher than the one led. 

This immediate information may be very valuable. 



26 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Suppose A gets in after a round or two, and leads the 8, 
and B holds the ace and 9 or the 10 and 9, he knows at 
once that A has, owing to his particular situation, made a 
forced lead and that the 8 must be at the head of two or 
three, or perhaps a singleton. Examine a little deeper 
into this table and it will be seen that there are just 20 
possible combinations of three cards higher than the 8, 
and the leader (leading the 8) can hold just half of these, 
and that there are ten he cannot hold. This knowledge 
can be utilized in determining whether the lead is regular 
or forced. B, holding three cards higher than the 8, knows, 
of course, if the lead of the 8, by A, is regular, that the 8 
will hold the trick. But suppose B's three cards are not 
headed by the ace or king, he then knows that the lead 
is forced, and it may be best for his hand that he does 
not pass. For instance if a player holds ace, k, 9 ; ace, 
qu, 9 ; ace, kn, 10 ; ace, kn, 9 ; k, 10, 9, or any three 
headed by the qu or kn, he knows at once that the lead 
of the 8 is forced and plays accordingly. 

Take the case of B holding the ace, k, 9 and one or more 
small, A leading the 8; if B passes, thinking the 8 must win 
the trick, B holding three cards higher than the 8, B defers 
to the third round the bringing home of his ace; and in the 
event of the 8 losing to fourth hand, B may lose a trick ; 
besides A may have led the 8 from two cards only, and 
if B plays king and then leads ace, A may wish to trump 
the third round, having led the forced lead for this 
purpose, trumps, for instance, having been declared 
against. 

The point is that a player must not pass an 8 led by 
partner simply because he has three cards of the suit 
higher, if he can determine from his hand that the lead 
is forced. Many players fail to make all the use avail- 
able of the fourth-best principle, and this is particularly 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



2 7 



true when a card so high in rank as the 8, 7 or 6 is 
led. 

Again : Suppose B holds the qu, kn ; qu, 10 ; qu, 9 ; 
kn, 10; kn, 9 or 10 and one or more small, to the lead 
of the 8 by A (as the original lead of the hand), B 
should know instantly that either ace or king is against 
and that the 8 must force one of these cards or hold the 
trick. It would be folly to put up the qu, kn, 10, or 9 
unless he wished to make an effort to gain the lead. 
{See" Third Hand.") 

The student will see that there are many inferences to 
be drawn from the lead of the eight, and that the table 
of eight leads is well worth careful study. 



o^» «j» •£•«!» «5»t5» •!••!» «s» 



These cards like the 8, are all led as fourth-best cards, 
disregarding the card or cards that may be held lower 
than the one led. All the combinations from which the 
7 is led, follow in tabular form. These tables, showing 
the various leads of the 8 and 7, will be useful when the 
play of the second hand is under analysis. 

The possible combinations multiply as you descend 
the scale. For instance the 10 is led from one combina- 
tion, the 9 from two ; the 8 from ten and the 7 from 
twenty-three, and this, too, without regard to the one or 
more cards that may be held below the fourth-best card. 
This table,like the preceding one, will repay careful study, 
for the 7 is a card of high rank (as a fourth-best card) , 
and the inferences that may sometimes be drawn are very 
valuable. {See " analysis of the second and third hand " 
— the 8 and 7 led.) 



28 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Seven Leads. 



FROM 


LEAD 


FROM 


LEAD 


Ace, qu, 10. 
Ace, qu, 9. . 
Ace, qu, 8. . 
Ace, kn, 10. 


7 
7 

7 
7 


Kg, 10,8... 
Kg, 9, 8.... 

Ou, kn, 9 

Ou, kn, 8... 


7* 

7* 

7* 
7* 


Ace, kn, 9. . 
Ace, kn, 8.. 


7 
7 


Qu, 10, 9 

Qu, 10, 8... 


7* 
7* 


Ace, 10, 9. . 
Ace, 10, 8. . 


7 
7 


Qu, 9, 8 

Kn, 10, 9. . . 


7* 
7* 


Ace, 9, 8... 


7 


Kn, 10, 8... 


7* 


Kg, kn, 9 

Kg, kn, 8... 
Kg, 10,9... 


7* 
7* 
7* 


Kn, 9,8 

10, 9, 8 


7* 
7* 



* When the ace does not head the suit, there may be one or more 
cards lower than the 7, and these may, of course, beany one or 
more of all the smaller cards. 



When this card of lowest rank is led as an original 
lead it is, as a rule, an announcement of weakness. It 
marks, of course, a suit of exactly four cards and, bar- 
ring exceptional hands, the leader can have no plain suit 
of more than four cards; he cannot have ace, kg ; kg, 
qu ; or qu, kn, 10 of any suit of four cards. As an 
original trump lead, the leader shows (as a rule) three 
plain suits of three cards each and four trumps. This 
little deuce has quite an interesting story to relate when it 
goes, first of all, into the breach. 

That the analyses of leads in detail, showing the leads 
— first and second — may be readily understood, it is 
best to first critically examine the three cardinal princi- 
ples of American Leads. There are three modes of 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



2 9 



opening a strong suit, viz. : 
card followed by low card, 
high card. 



1. Low card led. 2. High 
3. High card followed by 



Low Card Led. 

i. — When you open a suit with a LOW 
CARD, lead your FOURTH BEST. 

This maxim has been briefly examined (pages 24 to 26), 
and now a few examples showing the practical working 
of this important principle are given. 

Suppose the following : — 







•J* 

* * 

* 


4. 4> 

* * 
4. .J. 



1. — A leads 6 ; C plays 4 ; B plays qu ; D plays 5. 

B reads A with three cards higher than the 6, and (bar 
calling) he knows that A has led from a six-card suit, for 
the trey and deuce must be with A. B also knows 
that the ace is with C, for if A held the ace (six in suit) 
he would have led ace, not fourth best. B can read 



3° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



that D can have but one more card of the suit, and if he 
(D) follows to the next trick the suit will be established. 

This information afforded so early in the play of the 
suit may be very valuable to B. 

2. — B leads k ; D plays 9 ; A plays 3 ; C plays ace. 

A is marked with the kn, 10, 8, 2. If A opens with 
the trey or deuce the fall is the same as when the 6 is 
led, but it will afford B little information, and even after 
the second round, B cannot read A with command. 

Again : — 



+ + + 

* * +| 






A A 
'** 
A A 

A 
A. k J. 



*7^ 

V 

A A 

A A 



B 



D 



A A A 



A A 
A A 



T* V T* 



i. — A leads 5 ; C plays 6 ; B plays 7 ; D plays 3. 

When C played the 6, B could read that A's lead was 
from exactly ace, qu, 9, 5, and that C (if not calling) 
held king single, or was void of the suit. B plays the 7, 
knowing that it must hold the trick or force the king. 
The 7 holding the trick, marks C with king, and B knows 
at once that the suit is established. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3 1 



Once more : — 



4a* 
A * * 

4.^4. 





B 
C 

A 


D 


4 4, 
4 I 

4 4| 




4*4 
4 4* 4 


4 4-4 

4 
4 4 4 






4. 4. 

4.*4- 



4. 4. 

* 
4. 4. 

4* * 



1. — A leads 8 ; C plays 5 ; B plays ace ; D plays 4. 

B reads at once that A has led from k, kn, 9, 8, 2, or 
qu, kn. 9, 8, 2. 

2. — B leads 10 ; D plays qu ; A plays k ; C plays 6. 

B reads that the suit is established. Had A started 
with the deuce, B could not have read the location of 
any one card, even after the second round. 

The student may be reminded that such marked ad- 
vantages do not always attend the lead of the fourth- 
best card, and that not infrequently the opponents profit 
by the information afforded. 



32 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHTST. 



Take this case 





* * 
* 

* 4- 



4- *| 
4- +1 


c 


B 
A 


D 




4-4-4-4- 
4- 

V *** V *T 


ill 


4« 



1 4* 4* 4* 



* Va 

*** 

* * 


*+* 

A A 




A " A 



i. — A leads 7 ; C plays 4 ; B plays k ; D plays 3. 
C reads the qu, 10, 8, in A's hand, and if A next leads 
the suit C is directed to a safe finesse. 
Or again : — 




MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 33 

i. — A leads 7 ; C plays 8 ; B plays 4 ; D plays 5. 

Here the lead of the 7, the fourth-best, directs second 
hand to cover with the 8, saving D's king, and if the 
king is with B no harm is done. 

The lead of the fourth-best often enables second 
hand to make a sure finesse or a judicious cover (see the 
play of second hand, the 8 and 7 led), and in various 
ways the opponents may gain an advantage in conse- 
quence of the precise information afforded. Still this 
mode of opening a suit has been tested by careful and 
thorough analysis and the balance of advantage unques- 
tionably lies with the play of the fourth best. 

High card led {-followed by low card). 

2. — When you open a strong suit with the 
ACE, KING or QUEEN, and next lead a 
LOW CARD, lead your FOURTH-BEST 
counting from and including the card first led. 

This maxim comes into force when the following com- 
binations are held, and only when the first lead wins the 
trick. 

Ace and four — in trumps, six — or more small cards. 

King, queen and exactly two small cards (in trumps 
five or more small). 

King, queen and three — in trumps, five — or more small 
cards. 

Combinations from which the knave, ten or nine is led, 
are not included in this group, as then the maxim does not 
apply. The knave, when led from strength, is always 
followed by a higher card than the knave. The nine 
when led from strength is likewise followed by a higher 
card. The ten is a special lead, and unlike all other 
high-card leads, does not give information as to numeri- 
cal strength. When this maxim is applied to the case of 



34 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



10 winning, from k, kn, 10, it has no practical value, as 
the lead must be from six or more in suit in order to 
follow the rule. Besides partner could rarely, if ever, 
read that the leader had followed the maxim even when 
the latter held a sufficient number of cards to do so. This 
lead and its correct follow will be examined later on. 

The first and the last combinations given above are 
practically the only ones subject to the second maxim of 
American Leads ; for in the case of the king lead there 
can be but four cards in suit and the lead per se an- 
nounces the exact numerical strength, and if a low card 
is next led, it is obviously the lowest of the suit — i. <?.,the 
fourth-best. This combination may be dismissed with a 
single illustration. As : — 







i. — A leads k ; C plays 2 ; B plays 6 ; D plays 3. 
The king winning, the ace is supposed to be with B. 
When the k loses the next lead is, of course, the qu. 
2. — A leads 8 ; C plays 7 ; B plays ace ; D plays 4. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



35 



A is marked with the queen and one card higher than 
the 8, and the cards are so distributed that B can read 
that A has the 9, and D the 5. The knave may be with 
either C or D. 

The leads — ace, then low ; queen (winning), then low, 
are shown in the followine: table : — 



FROM 


LEAD 




THEN 






Ace 


10 8 


7 


6 




Ace 


10 8 


7 


6 5 




Ace 


10 8 


7 


6 5 4 


(a) King.. 


Queen 


10 8 


7 




King. . 


Queen 


10 8 


7 


6 


King.. 


Queen . . . 


10 8 


7 


6 5 



(a) If the qic loses to the ace, the second lead is, of 
course, the ki?ig. 

In each instance the second lead is the fourth-best 
card, counting from, and including, the card first led, 
irrespective of the number of cards in the suit. The 
object of this is to inform partner that you have two 
cards of intermediate rank between the first and second 
cards led. This usually, in practise, informs the lead- 
er's partner of the exact rank of these two cards, as well 
as of the numerical strength of the suit. It is true that 
this exact information is often given to the opponents as 
well, but, notwithstanding, it is the experience of most 
players that it is a decided advantage, in the majority of 
cases, to publish the information. 

The entire system of modern whist is based upon the 
principle of imparting by your play the greatest amount 
of information possible. Exceptional situations often 
arise where a shrewd player will withhold information, 



2,6 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

when it is obvious that partner is not in a position to 
profit by it while his opponents are. 

It must not be forgotten that at all times all rules stand 
second to the fall of the cards. 

Keep in view the fact that there are such things as 
exceptional situations, and that all rules and maxims are 
intended to cover situations that usually occur ; the un- 
usual situations must be met by the individual ingenuity 
and whist perception of the player. 

Queen, then Low. 

The lead of queen (the queen winning), then fourth- 
best will now be examined. Objections have been urged 
against the adoption of the second maxim of American 
Leads, as well as against the recent innovation of Mr. N. B. 
Trist, the inventor of these leads, of leading the fourth- 
best, after winning queen, counting from and including 
the card first led. Formerly the original fourth-best was 
led. As: — k, qu, 10, 8, 7; the qu, then 8 was led. It is 
now proposed to lead qu then 7, thus showing two cards 
of intermediate rank between the queen and the card 
selected for the second lead. 

There are advantages in favor of this mode of opening 
this combination as compared with queen then original 
fourth-best. It will be found upon analysis that the 
lead of the original fifth-best, after queen winning, will 
often yield information that the lead of the fourth-best 
will withhold, and no disadvantages attend the play. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Suppose the following : — 



37 



* * 

J i* * 




i. — A leads qu ; C plays 3 ; B plays 5 ; D plays 4. 

2. — A leads 9 ; C trumps ; B plays ace ; D plays 7. 

B can read that A has k, 10, 6, 2, yet in hand, but the 
8 may be with D, and if so A has not command. But 
suppose: — 

2. — A leads 8 — the k, 10, 9, are now marked with A, 
and C renouncing and the 7 falling from D, marks the 6, 
2 also with leader, and D can have but the kn, single. 



38 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Again: 



-S. * , A 



♦I- * **!- 
* * i 

♦ * * *| 



B 



*A* *A* 

■T* Tr V "T 
A 

v *i* *% * t* 



D 



A A 

A A 
A A 






i. — A leads qu ; C plays 10 ; B plays 2 ; D plays 4. 

2 — A leads 6 ; C trumps ; B plays ace ; D plays 5. 

B can read that A has the k, 8, 7, 2 (bar the possibil- 
ity of D calling) and he plays the ace, as D's kn, which 
must be unguarded, will fall to A's k and the suit is 
cleared. If A follows the qu with the 7, the original 
fourth-best, B cannot read that D has not the 6. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



39 



A trick may also be lost, due to the sacrifice of the 
fourth-best card, as the following position demon- 
strates: — 



4* 4» 

4- 
4» 4> + 

J * * 



* + 

4 1 «F 



c 



D 




4* A* 

4, * 4. 

4».* 
*** 




4-. 4- 
*** 
4* 4* 



4. 4. 


J* 
* 




* 


* 





* + * 



1. — A leads qu ; C plays 5 , B plays 7 ; D plays 3. 

2. — A leads 9 ; C renounces ; B plays ace ; D 
plays 4. 

If A is forced to next lead the suit, D may make his 
kn, 8. But if A follows the qu with his fifth-best card — 
the 2 — D cannot possibly make but a single trick. A may 
lose a trick by following the qu with his original fourth- 
best, even though he sacrifices no higher card than the 6, 
as: — 



4o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 




■j. . j. -J. -j. 

-:♦ * * * 



•i* •£• •?• v •!• •*• 

•5* 
4. .*. 4. 4. 



1. — A leads qu ; C plays 2 ; B plays 8 ; D plays 9. 
2. — A leads 6 ; C plays 3 ; B plays ace ; D discards. 

3. (C to lead). — C leads 10 ; B and D discard ; A 
plays k. 

4. (A to lead). — A leads — C must make the kn, 5. 
Here, C makes two tricks in the suit, even though he 

leads at trick three ; and if A leads at trick three, Cmust 
make two tricks, no matter who next leads the suit. But, 
on the other hand, suppose: — 

2. — A leads 4 ; C plays 3 ; B plays ace ; D discards. 

Now if C next leads the suit he takes but the single trick. 

3. (A to lead). — A leads 6 ; C plays 10 ; B and D 
discard. 

4. (C to lead). — C leads to a tenace and must lose 
both tricks. The possibility of loss, in each of the 
instances pointed out, is, of course, remote ; but it is in 
the cards. 

The feature of protection does not apply here with 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



41 



any force, for except in rare cases, if the queen wins, the 
ace is with partner, as it is exceptional for the opponents 
to refuse to take the qu, with a hand sufficiently strong 
in the suit to gain through the next lead of the fifth- 
best. 

For example : — 



* 





c 


B 
A 


D 


4 <*! 
* 

4< 4*1 


* 4- *| 

* 4* 4*1 









4» . 4* 
**4» 
4* * 



r* 


* 


:* 


+ 


:♦ 


1+ 


* 


•:• 




1* 


* 


* 


1 




!• 


* 


* 


►:• 



4. 4. 



1. — A leads qu ; C plays 5 ; B plays 2 ; D plays 7. 

D might be induced to hold up the ace, especially if 
strong enough in trumps to desire them led — as it would 
suggest to A the advisibility of a trump lead to protect 
his suit, which inferentially is established. Besides D 
can read that if A next leads his original fifth best (bar 
trumps) his 8 is likely to win the second round. 

2. — A leads 4 ; C plays 6 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 8. 

And D must win two tricks — three if A next leads the 
suit. If A follows with the 9, D cannot take but two 



42 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

tricks. In plain suits, it is, however, rarely good play to 
pass the queen, and it should not be forgotten that the 
leader is always at liberty to depart from rule, if the fall 
is exceptional. This phase of the question, protection, 
may be dismissed as having no weight. The questions 
of unblocking and showing command are likewise hardly 
worth consideration. The advantage of leading as 
proposed may be said to rest solely upon the ground 
of enabling partner to count the hands ; and in the 
opinion of the writer this is alone sufficient reason for 
the adoption of the lead of the original fifth-best after a 
winning queen, or to word it so that it covers the case of 
the ace — the "fourth-best counting from and including 
the card first led." 

Ace, then Loiv. 

In the case of the ace, then low, the questions of 
unblocking, protection, exhibiting command, showing 
numerical strength and adverse finessing, all arise. Each 
must be taken into consideration. An exhaustive 
analysis on this subject cannot be given here, but the 
writer believes that the balance of advantage lies with 
the mode of leading as laid down in the maxim. Uni- 
formity and simplicity impart strength to a rule or a 
system. And it is admitted by those who have given 
this maxim of American Leads the most careful exam- 
ination, that the advantages and disadvantages attending 
the practical working of this rule, are nearly equal. This 
mode of leading — ace, then, fourth-best — has been adopted 
(in America) by the most advanced players, and the 
rank and file as well, and this, in the author's opinion, 
is an evidence of its soundness. 

It may, however, be well to append a few examples 
illustrating the disadvantages of the practical applica- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



43 



tion of this maxim when applied to the lead of ace, then 
low. 

Suppose this case: — 



4. .4. 

*** 

*** 
A*A 




4. 4. 

*** 
4. 4. 




A 
* 
* 



\ 


c 


B 
A 


D 


+ *• +1 

•fr 1 •£■ *| 




^B 





A 



4, 4. 

A * 



4. 4. 
A 4» 



A A 



4. A 



r (::X 


k*i 


38 


p 




_ 


* 


"♦*' 


♦ 




* 


+1 



1. — A. leads ace ; C plays 6 : B plays 3 ; D plays 5. 

2. — A leads 7 ; C plays k ; B plays 9 ; U plays kn. 

The lead of the 7, the fourth-best, marks A with two 
cards higher, and the fall shows B that these two are the 
qu, 8, and as the 4, 2, did not fall to the first trick, B 
reads them with A. 

Had A in trick 2 led the lowest of the suit, then, so far 
as B could read, the queen could be with D. Here the 
lead of the fourth-best after ace, not only shows partner 
that the leader has command, but the numerical strength 
of the suit as well. In this instance, and in all similar 



44 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



combinations, there is a decided advantage in the second 
lead of the fourth-best. 
Again: — 



.$- .5- .j- .j. 
•J- * •£■ •£- 



* * * * * 

A 4. A A 

9^» *l* *T* *i* *£• 



B 



C 



D 



A 




<A, A 
A ' A 

A*A 



A A 
A 



i>£ •> *$• 
4. 4. * 



I*r _ "r 



1. — A leads ace ; C plays 9 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 2. 

2. — If A now leads the lowest card, the 7 wins the 
trick and a trick is lost. The lead of the fourth-best, in 
this instance, is a protection, as it forces an honor from 
D. There is always a probability that the leader may 
find partner weak in his — the leader's — suit, and if a lower 
card than the fourth-best is led on the second round it 
may fall to a very small card, leaving master cards in 
against him, as in the above illustration. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



45 



Again : — 



♦j- 4. 4. .;■ 






B 



I) 



4. ' 4. 






1* 

1* 






1* 


4. * 




1+ 

1 


* 



* 

4, 4, 



1. — A leads ace ; C plays 9 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 2. 

2. — A leads 8 ; C plays k ; B plays qu ; D plays 6. 

B can read that A has the kn, 10, and, of course, 
throws the queen, that he may not block A's suit. Had 
A followed the ace with the 5, B must have played 4, as 
the kn could be with the opponents. Note that A can 
read that B has the 4. But if the 4 and 6 change places, 
then A cannot read B with the third card of the suit. 
This position illustrates the advantages in favor of the 
lead of the fourth-best as to unblocking. It is true that 
the value of unblocking, due to the lead of the fourth- 
best, is not of much consequence, yet, slight as it is, it 
favors the maxim. 



4 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



The disadvantages that attend the play are found in 
positions similar to the following : — 



v , v v v 

v •{• v *I* 




1. — A leads ace ; C plays 2 ; B plays 4 ; D plays 5. 

2. — A leads 8 ; C plays 9 ; B plays 7 ; D plays 6. 

The precise information afforded by the lead of the 8 
directs C to a safe finesse. Had A followed with the 3 
C must have played qu. 

Sometimes it is to the advantage of the opponents to 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



47 



be able to read the exact number of cards from which 
the leader has led. For example : — 



4* 4* 
* 4* 



4* 
4* 

4- 



* * 
* 

•J* 4. 


c 


B 
A 


D 




+ 4- +1 

+ 
4> 4- 4*i 


gtjj| 




IIS 



A, J* 

*4>7 

4- 4> 

4*.* 
*** 


*** 

4* * 
4» 


4- 4» 
4* 4* 
4. 4. 



; * 

|4»4*4*4* 



4» 



1. — A leads ace ; C plays 5 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 9. 

2. — A leads 6 ; C plays qu ; B plays 4 ; D discards. 

C can read that A has opened from exactly five cards, 
and that B must have another card of the suit. C can 
safely lead the k, knowing that B must follow. Had A 
followed the ace with the deuce, C could not read B with 
another card of the suit. 

Ten, then Lozv. 

When 10 is led, as an original lead, from more than 
four in suit, and wins the trick, the second lead, in the 
writer's opinion, should be the original fourth-best, and 
not the lowest of the suit. The 10 winning the trick, 
the nature of the combination led from and the position 
of all the high cards are proclaimed ; for if the play to 



4 8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the 10 is correct, third hand must hold ace, qu, or qu of 
the suit, and the only high card that can be against 
leader is the ace in second hand. 

When 10 wins the trick, it is immaterial as far as the 
making of tricks in this suit is concerned, whether the 
leader selects the lowest or the original fourth-best for 
his second lead, as adverse finessing, unblocking and 
protection do not play a part. The only object the 
leader has in the lead of the fourth-best, is to enable 
partner to count the number of cards held in the suit. 
It is clearly an advantage for partner to be able to read 
the numerical strength of an established suit as early as 
the second round. 

Suppose the following : — 



T T T, 



4 * +1 
4 4 .j. 



B 



4 




4 . •> 
4 ' 4 

*4* 



■ * 



I) 



IV V V 
:+ V -J* 



\v 4» * 



4 * 



4 4 



1. — A leads 10 ; C plays 3 ; B plays 2 ; D plays 6. 
2. — A leads 9 ; C plays 7 ; B plays ace ; D plays 8. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



49 



B can now read that A has the k, kn, 5, 4 yet in hand. 
If A follows the 10, with the 4 or 5, the 9 may be with 
either C or D, for all that B can read. 

Again : — 






B 
C 

A 


D 


*r •** *r 




* 4- * 
4. 4. 4 




4.444 

* 
4444 









* 



,<$. 4. 4. 

4. 4. 

1+ * * 




* 
* 


* 
* 


* 



1. — A leads 10 ; C plays 3 ; B plays 2 ; D plays 4. 

2. — A leads 5 ; C plays 7 ; B plays ace ; D plays 6. 

And B reads that the 9, 8, are with the opponents. But 
if the rule of leading the fourth best, is not adhered to, 
A, in this case, might have both of these cards. 



5° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Again : — 



* + * 



* 

A 4. 




♦ ♦ 4* 
4«~* 



.*: 



i) 



4.^4. 

4* ' 4* 




4- 4= 
4. 4. 

+ . * 



1. — A leads 10 ; C plays 3 ; B plays 5 ; D plays 4. 
2. — A leads 9 ; C plays 8 ; B plays qu ; D renounces. 

(B unblocks ; see third-hand play — the 10 led.) 

A reads B with the ace, deuce, and B gives A the 
remainder of the suit. Had A followed with any card 
but the 9, B could not have read A's hand. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Take this case : — 



5i 



4. 4. 



;«* * + 





B 




c 

1 


A 


D 







* 


4. 4.1 


1+ 


4, *| 




1+ 


+! 


* 


* 




* 




■?■ 


* 





1. — A leads 10 ; C plays 3 ; B plays 7 ; D plays 2. 
2. — A leads 9 ; C plays 4 ; B plays ace ; D plays 6. 

The cards lie so that B cannot read that A has the 8, 
5. But neither could he read A's hand had he followed 
with either of these cards. 



52 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Once more : — 



* 


* 


*i 




* 
* 


* 

* 








+ 





* V a 
a a 



* 




1 

1 


B 


1 


c 


A 


D 



* A* 
A ' A 

*** 


A A 


A A 
* 

A A 

*_ 4»l 



1. — A leads 10 ; C plays 3 ; B plays 5 ; D plays 4. 
2. — A leads 2 ; C plays ace ; B plays qu ; D discards. 

Now, so far as B can read, C may have the 9, 8, 6, and 
A the k, kn, only. But if A follows the 10 with the 9, 
the deuce is at once proclaimed with A. 

Whenever the leader's small cards are of lower rank 
than those played by the opponents in the two rounds, 
these small cards can be placed in the leader's hand, if 
the rule of leading the original fourth-best, after 10, is 
followed. If the lowest is led after 10, partner may not 
be able to read the leader's numerical strength in the 
suit, as the foregoing illustrations demonstrate. No dis- 
advantages attend the play of the fourth-best, as the 
information published is a declaration of strength. 

The lead of 10 gives no information of numerical 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 53 

strength, and information concerning the latter must be 
given on the second lead, or not at all. As pointed out 
elsewhere, when the 10 loses to queen, or forces both 
ace and qu, the holding of exactly four is shown by the 
next lead of the k, and more than four by the second 
lead of kn, and if the 10 wins, why should not the leader 
likewise make an effort to proclaim his numerical 
strength by leading the highest of his remaining small 
cards, thus enabling partner to place the smaller ones in 
his hand ? 

High Card Led {Followed by High Card). 

When you open a suit with a high card, and follow 
with a high card, select the card for the second lead 
that will convey the greatest amount of information in 
reference to the numerical strength of the suit and the 
high cards it contains. The general rule for this is : 

When you open a strong suit with a high card, 
and remain with two (or more) high indifferent 
cards, lead the higher (or highest) to show the 
minimum numerical strength ; the lower (or 
lowest) to show more than the minimum 
strength. 

The third maxim of American leads applies to the 
following combinations : — 

1. — Ace, king, queen, knave, and one or more small 
cards. 

2. — Ace, king, queen, and two or more small cards. 

3. — Ace, queen, knave, and one or more small cards. 

4. — King, queen, knave, and two or more small cards. 

5. — King, knave, 10, and one or more small cards. 



54 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



6. — Queen, knave, 10, and one or more small cards. 
7. — Knave, 10, 9, and one or more small cards. 
(Trumps only.) 

There can be shown by lead and follow four, five, six 
or seven cards in suit, according to the combination of 
high cards from which the leads are made. 

The quart major combination in tabular form, will 
render the application of this maxim more clear : — 





Jj. 



With sequence of knave to ace and any number of small 
cards, the lead is the knave. ( See Table No. 1, p. 
11.) The knave announces a suit of, at least, five cards 
— the minimum number from which the knave is led. 
So far as taking tricks in this suit is concerned, you could 
open with ace and follow with knave just as well, but 
planning for the play of twenty-six cards, not five or thir- 
teen, the order is all for the purpose of imparting infor- 
mtion. Now, the knave, then ace marks the minimum — 
king, queen and one small card. Let the student thorough- 
ly understand this : the knave is only led from quart ma- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 55 

jor or tierce to king, five or more in suit, consequently the 
lead of knave, then ace, marks the stronger combination. 
After the lead of the knave, the leader has three cards 
of equal trick-making value. Now apply the maxim 
" lead the highest to show the minimum numerical 
strength" — this points to the ace, and ace following 
knave shows exactly five in suit. 

Holding quart major, six cards in suit, the second lead 
is the king, and the play shows a suit of exactly six cards 
(the knave and king winning, and ace not in third hand). 

With quart major, seven or more in all, the first lead 
is still the knave — again apply the maxim — " lead the 
lowest to show more than the minimum strength." The 
knave and queen winning, the ace, king, and at least three 
small cards are proclaimed; by the second lead of the 
queen — the lowest of the three high indifferent cards — 
the maximum numerical strength, that can be shown, is 
marked with the leader 

Showing six or seven cards in suit may not often be 
of practical value, yet again it may result in the gain of 
a trick or more; besides, for the sake of uniformity, the 
rule should be adhered to. Negative inference is often 
valuable. If B, with only eight cards, knows that A has 
shown five of a plain suit yet in hand, he also knows 
that A cannot hold four trumps. Suppose A shows 
seven spades, then leads diamonds (trumps) showing 
four, and subsequently plays two hearts, B knows abso- 
lutely that A can have no club and if expedient B can 
lead a small club with the assurance that A can trump. 

Take the second combination — ace, king, queen, and 
two or more small cards. The first lead is the queen. 
If the ace is next led — the higher of the two indiffer- 
ent cards, the leader shows the minimum, king and two 
small remaining ; if the king, the lower of the indiffer- 



56 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ent cards, the ace and at least three small cards are 
shown. 

In the case of the ace, queen, knave and one or more 
small cards, the ace is led. The queen and knave are 
indifferent cards. If the second lead is the queen, the 
minimum is shown, i. e., knave and one small card ; if 
the knave follows the ace — the knave being the lower 
of the indifferent cards — more than the minimum numer- 
ical strength is announced. 

Take the fourth combination — king, queen, knave, 
and two or more. Here the first lead of the knave shows 
per se five in suit — the minimum. If the king follows 
the knave it shows that the lead was from the minimum; 
if the second lead is the queen — the lower of the indiffer- 
ent cards — more than the minimum of five are shown. 

Again : The lead of 10 from king, knave, 10, when 10 
forces queen, or both ace and queen. The leader then 
remains with two high indifferent cards. If the second 
lead is the king, the minimum is shown — knave and one 
small card only ; if the second lead is knave, the lower 
of the indifferent cards, the leader still holds king and at 
least two small ones, i. <?., more than the minimum num- 
erical strength. 

The student will note that if the 10 brings out the ace 
and not the queen, the second lead must be the king 
irrespective of number in suit, for in this case the king, 
kn, are not indifferent cards, the queen being in. You 
can show by play as well as by lead; for example : A 
leads 10 ; C plays qu ; B plays 2 ; D plays 3. Now, 
suppose by and by D leads the suit through A; if A plays 
the k, he has the kn and one only; if he plays the kn, 
king and at least two others are marked in his hand. 

From combination No. 6 — queen, knave, 10, and one 
or more small cards, the queen is led. Again, the maxim 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



57 



applies ; for if the leader has the minimum, he goes on 
with the knave, the higher of the indifferent cards ; if 
more than the minimum is held, he next leads the 10. 

The same directions apply to the lead of the knave 
of trumps from knave, 10, 9, and one or more small 
cards. With the minimum, the 10 follows the knave; 
with more than the minimum, the 9 is the second lead. 
In plain suits, the fourth best is led from this combina- 
tion. See analysis of leads. 

There are six combinations of high cards, from which 
a high card is led — followed, in some cases — by a high 
card, that do not come under the application of the third 
maxim; although in each combination the leader remains, 
after the first lead, with high indifferent cards, i. e., cards 
in sequence with the card led, and hence of equal trick- 
making value. Here they are in tabular form: — 



FROM 


LEAD 


THEN 


Ace, king, queen, knave only 

Ace, queen, knave, 10 only 


k 
ace 

k 

k 
qu 
kn 


kn 
10 
10 
kn 

9 
8 


King, queen, knave, 10 only 


King, queen, knave, and one small. . . . 
Oueen, knave, 10, 9 only 


Knave, 10, 9, 8 (trumps only) 



In all except the tierce to king combination, the leads 
— first and second — not only show the exact numerical 
strength, but the exact cards that are held. The tierce 
to king combination is led the same as the quart major; 
the rank of the cards demands it. If partner has not 
the ace it will usually be played upon the king, and 
when the leader next leads the knave, queen and one 



58 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

small card (smaller than the 10) are proclaimed. If the 
king and knave both win, the lead is then shown to be 
from the ace, king, queen, knave (if the ace is not with 
third hand). 

Note that these six combinations are all of exactly four 
cards, and if a low card is added to each, then the third 
maxim applies. 

Analysis of Leads in Detail. 

Note i. — By " original lead " is meant the original 
lead of the original leader of the hand. The leads given 
may be made by any player, at any stage of the hand, but 
they apply with greater force to the first lead of all. 

Note 2. — When the second lead is given, it is assumed 
that no one has renounced to the first round. Holding 
up is not provided for, as : A leads the kn from k, qu, 
kn, and two small, and the knave wins, ace is supposed 
to be with B. 

Note 3. — Trumps are led the same as plain suits when 
not otherwise directed. 



suits headed by ace. 

Suits headed by the ace may be divided into five dis- 
tinct combinations, aside from suits of five or more where 
the ace is led with or without high cards. 



1. Quart Major Combination. 
The distinctive feature of this combination is the four 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



59 



court cards, and the leads — first and second — are shown 
in tabular form. 




*** 

A ' A 

*A* 


A*A 


V" 

A A 
A 


1*1* 


!* * 


A A 


A , A 


A A 




A ' A 
*A* 


A A 
A V A 




A* A 


A A 


[*A* 




A ' A 




A*A 







+ 



* In the above combinations, and in all that are to fol- 
low, the cards to the left of the " — " form the base or 
root of the combination ; the cards to the right of the 
" — " show simply the numerical strength and affect 
(as a rule) the second leads only. In each instance the 
cards to the right of the " — " will be of the highest 
rank permissible not to affect in any way the leads, 
either in rumps or plain suit. Combinations which are 
affected by the rank of the cards that may be placed to 
the right of the " — " will be given under the head of 
the "ace combinations." 

In No. i, for instance, the 10, 9, 8 are used, but these 
three cards may be any of three of all the cards from 
the 10 to the deuce inclusive — and not in any way affect 
the first or second leads. The plus ( + ) sign following 



6o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. i indicates that this combination may be of greater 
numerical strength — eight, nine or more cards. The 
digits " i " and " 2 " signify first and second leads in 
plain suits. 

f When the plus sign is not used, the suit must be of 
the exact numerical strength given — as in No. 3 there 
must be just five cards. The only change that can be 
made in this combination (3) and not affect the leads is 
to substitute some one card in place of the 10, as the 9, 
7 or 4, etc. 

Remark : — The combinations Nos. 1 to 4 are so strong 
that the lead is the same in either trumps or plain suits. 
The inference to be drawn from the high-card leads will 
be found in detail in the tables of inferences (pp. 83- 
84). 

2. Tierce Major Combination. 



7- 




A' A 


A A| 
A A 

*** 

A A 




»•• A 
A ' A 

*1± 


A A 

*** 

A A 


***A A 

A » A 

*** 





A A 

* 

A A 

A 



+ 



Remark : — With more than four in suit the queen is 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



61 



led ; with four or less the king. With No. 8 the lead 
maybe termed forced, as you do not open (from choice), 
as an original lead, from less than four cards. In trumps 
(No. 8) lead ace, then king, then queen. 

3. Ace King Combination. 



10. 



12. 




2 


1 


-3* 


l*HT 

Mill 

ill 


— 


4* +1 


1 


2 




Remark : — Holding ace, king and any three (or more) 
below the queen, lead ace ; with four in suit lead king ; 
with less than four — i. e., a forced lead — lead ace then 
king. In trumps, combinations 9 and 10, you lead the 
fourth-best — with seven in all, however, the lead is the 
same as in plain suits. Nos. 11 and 12 are forced leads. 
In rare cases, holding ace, king only, you sometimes lead 
them in preference to opening a very weak plain suit. In 
case you do, lead ace, then king, and the fall to the two 
rounds in conjunction with the cards partner may hold 
of the suit, will generally enable him to read that you 



62 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



have not led from five or more, and he will know that 
you are playing for his hand — not for your own. 



4. Four-Card Combination. 



13- 




*? 

4. * 



Remark : — The lead of the ace, then 10, marks this 
exact holding. If any cards are added to the suit the 
second lead is then the knave, as it is of more importance 
to show five or more in suit than it is to show the 10. 



14. 



*5- 



16. 



5. Ace, Queen, Knave Combination. 

M 




* , * 
***** 



*A* 



* * 

*. * 
*** 



+ 



* * 
*. * 

*** 

* * 



Remark : — Holding ace, queen, knave and two or 
more small (including the 10 as a small card) lead ace, 
then knave, showing the queen and at least two small ; 
with four in suit lead queen after ace, and with less than 
four (as a forced lead) lead from the ace down. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

6. Ace Combinations. 



63 



There are many combinations — all suits of five or 
more, ace at the head — from which the ace is led, and 
these all come under rule No. 2. Table of leads No. 1, 
(p. 23). There follow, however, some special combina- 
tions which call for particular attention, owing to the 
character of the high sequences and tenaces which may- 
be with the ace — and yet the ace be led. 



i7- 



!9- 




* * * 

+ JL* 



•'• 


•5» : 




* 


* 


L^_ 


*l 



6 4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



23- 



24. 





*#ij 




* 4" 




* 






* 

4. 4. 








1 






* * 




* + 


4. 4. 


* 


4. 4. 




* 






*__* 




* * 


4. 4. 



+ 



Remark: — These will be examined seriatim: (17.) 
This is an ace king combination (see Nos. 9-12), but 
the strong tierce to knave sequence to the right of the 
" — " renders it uncommonly strong. In trumps lead 
king — if you mean to change the suit with the idea of 
finessing on the return — if not lead ace, then king, then 
9. (18-19.) I n trumps or plain suits lead king, and, if 
expedient, change the suit and wait for the return. (20.) 
You will rarely, if ever, be forced to lead from this com- 
bination. If expedient change the suit, with the idea of 
finessing kn upon the return. (21-22.) Holding either 
of these two combinations — four cards only in suit — lead 
9, in either trumps or plain suit. With five or more, lead 
ace, then 9 — if the fall to the ace warrants it. (23.) If 
forced to open from ace, kn and one small, lead small 
retaining tenace. You may under certain circumstances 
be justified in the lead of the knave in the hope of 
making two tricks in the suit. (24.) Holding ace and 
four, five or even six very small cards you may lead 
fourth-best, and especially so if strong in trumps. 

In all other suits of five or more cards headed by 
the ace, lead ace then fourth-best. In trumps lead fourth- 
best unless with seven in all — then lead ace. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 
SUITS HEADED BY THE KING. 



65 



Suits headed by the king may be divided into four 
combinations as follows : — 



7. Quart to King Combination. 



25- 




2 



Remark : — The lead of king then 10, like the lead of 
ace then 10, marks the queen and knave and shows 
exactly four in suit. 



26. 



27. 



28. 



29. 



8. Tierce to King Combination 




+JL+ 
y. * 


*** 


* 4 * 
*** 


*** 

4^ 5^ 



4. A 



+ 



4. * 



66 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Remark : — With a tierce to king, five or more in suit, 
the knave is led, with four the king, and with less than 
four lead king, then kn and show the queen. In trumps 
(No. 29) lead k, then qu, then kn and show no more. 



3°- 



3i- 



3 2 - 



9. King Queen Combination. 

""I 




***** 

A 1 * 

+ .1* 
*** 




* * 

*** 

* * 








*** 

* ' * 

A J* 
♦ *"*♦_ 




A A 

* 

A * 

•T* 
*** 



A A A A 

AAA* 
A 

V *I* *I* V 



+ 



Remark : — Holding king, queen and three or more 
small (below the knave) lead queen ; if it wins, follow 
with fourth-best counting from and including the queen. 
With four in suit lead king, if it wins, then lowest ; if 
the king loses, you, of course, next follow with the 
queen. If forced to lead from king, queen only, or 
king, queen and one small, lead king then queen. 

10. King, Knave, Ten Combination. 



33- 




** 

*JL* 
i*A 



A * * A 
A A "** 

*** *** 

AAA* 



+ 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



6 7 



34- 



35- 




+ * 



Remark : — Holding king, knave, 10, with or without 
others lead the 10, even if the nine is in hand. If the 
10 forces the play of queen, or ace and queen, follow 
with knave, if five or more are in hand ; with king, if 
less than five. If 10 forces ace and not queen, you 
must next lead the king irrespective of numerical 
strength. If the ten wins the trick, follow with original 
fourth-best. 

From all other suits headed by king lead fourth-best. 

SUITS HEADED BY THE QEEEN. 

There are two combinations headed by the queen, 
n. Quart to Queen Combination. 



36. 







+ . + 

2 



Remark : — The lead of queen then 9 proclaims the kn, 
10 only, and is similar in principle to ace then 10 ; king 
then 10 ; each heralds an exact holding. 



68 



37- 



38. 



39- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

12. Tierce to Queen Combination. 




■5- * 



4. 4. 
* + 



+ 



Remark : — With tierce to queen, with or without others, 
the queen is led. Holding five or more follow with the 
10 ; less than five lead from the queen down. 

From all other suits headed by the queen lead fourth- 
best. 

SUITS HEADED BY THE KNAVE. 

The knave lead from the head of a sequence, like the 
old lead of the 10, is now abandoned. (See p. 22). 
Below is given the quart to knave combination showing 
the lead and follow. 

13. Quart to Knave Combinition. 



40. 



4. , if 
♦a* 



* + 

*** 

•s. if 

2 



*** 

* * 






* * 
4. 4. 
4. * 



+ 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



6 9 



41. 



A*A 



A A 

A*A 



A A 
* 

a 
+ + 



A A 

A 
A A 

A A 



42. 



A . A A A A A 

A k * A . * . . 

A. * **A * + * 

«£» «5» «S» «|» •Jo *|* 



43- 



♦ A * * A 

A ' A A A 

A A A^A 

A^A A 4. 



Remark : — In trumps the kn is led at the head of a 
sequence, as partner is justified in finessing more deeply 
in trumps than in plain suits. The lead of the kn in 
trumps, from this combination, does not complicate the 
play of third hand, as it does in plain suits. 

From all other strong suits not enumerated in the 
foregoing pages, lead fourth-best. 

It is always understood that the lead of trumps may 
be modified by the trump card turned, the necessity for 
two or more rounds, the inferences drawn from the fall, 
the state of the score and the stage of the game. 

A table of high-card leads followed by high card will be 
found on page 70. These leads should be studied until 
the student is thoroughly familiar with them in every 
way. The cards to the right of the " — " are given 
simply to show the numerical strength, and they, of 
course," may be any of the small cards from the 9 to the 



7° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



deuce inclusive. The sign "+" signifies that the suit 
may be of greater numerical strength. 

TABLE OF HIGH CARD LEADS. 



FROM 



NO. IN 
SUIT 



LEAD 



FIRST. SECOND, 



Ace, k, qu, kn — 4, 3, 2 + 

Ace, k, qu, kn — 4, 3 

Ace, k, qu, kn — 4 

Ace, k, qu, kn — 

Ace, k, qu — 4, 3, 2 + 

Ace, k, qu — 4, 3 

Ace, k, qu — 4 

Ace, k — 4, 3, 2 + 

Ace, k — 4, 3 

Ace, qu, kn, 10 — 

Ace, qu, kn — 4, 3 + 

Ace, qu, kn — 4 

King, qu, kn, 10 — ■ 

King, qu, kn — 4, 3, 2 + . . 

King, qu, kn— 4, 3 

King, qu, kn— 4 

King, qu— 4, 3, 2 + 

King, qu— 4, 3 

King, kn, 10 — 4,3 + 

King, kn, 10 — 4 

Queen, kn, 10, 9 — 

Queen, kn, 10 — 4, 3+ 

Queen, kn, 10 — 4 



kn 
kn 
kn 

k 

qu 
qu 

k 
ace 

k 
ace 
ace 
ace 



k 

qu 
k 

10 
10 

qu 
qu 
qu 



qu 

k 

ace 
kn 

k 

ace 
qu 

k 

ace 
10 
kn 
qu 

10 

qu 

k 

kn 

deuce 11 

treyf 

knj 



9 
10 
kn 



* Queen winning'. 



+ King winning. 



J If 10 forces queen. 



Trump Leads. 
" American Leads " have revolutionized the game, and 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



71 



the changes have all been in the direction of simplifica- 
tion. 

The new order of leads from high-card combinations 
has, with few exceptions, done away with differences in 
leads between trumps and plain suits, which heretofore 
have proved such a stumbling-block. As original leads, 
aside from certain modifications rendered necessary by 
very unusual hands, or the rank of the card turned (see 
Special Trump Leads), trumps are led the same as plain 
suits, except in the following cases : — 



* 4- 



4. 4. 
+ + 



v 
* * 

4, 4. 



4, 4. 



* 
* 

4 . 



Plain Suits : — Lead king with four, ace with more than 
four. 

Trumps : — Fourth best with less than seven, ace with 
seven or more. 

Beginners, and even players of moderate experience, 
holding ace, king and two, three or four small trumps 
will at once lead ace and king. Such players play the 
first few rounds of the hand as though they expected to 
take all the tricks unaided by partner. They play their 
aces and kings and take as many tricks as they can, and 
then are at the mercy of their opponents the rest of the 
play. Good players finesse and underplay from the very 
start if necessary. They strive to so play that they may 
gain by finesse the one trick that may be made or lost. 

For example : — A holds ace, k, 9, 8, 7, 6 of trumps ; he 
plays the two honors, he plays as though he expected to 
take all the tricks, as though he hoped to catch the qu, 
kn, 10 in the two rounds — leaving him with command. 
The good whist player reasons that there are seven 



72 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



trumps that he does not hold and that the chances are 
that he will lose a trick in trumps unless his partner can 
win the first round for him, and consequently he leads 
fourth-best. Nothing can be worse than to play only 
your own hand — ignoring partner. 




*a* 

a 4* 

+ * + 



4*.* 



*** 

4* 4* 

4* 
*_* 

A Al 

4* 

A V A 


A t A 
A V A 
A A 


4- * 

A A 

A A 
A A 


A A 

* 


4* , 4* 

A^A 
A A 


A A 

4» 

A A 








*** 

A A 

4* 


4* 4* 

4* 
4* * 

A A| 


A A 

4- 4* 
4* + 


A A 

4- 

A A 



Plain Suits : — Lead fourth-best with four, ace with 
more than four. 

Trumps : — Fourth-Dest with less than seven ; ace with 
seven or more. 




A*A 

*.* 
A*A 



4» + 

4* 

A^A 



A A 
4. A 
A A 



Plain Suits or Trumps : — Lead king with four, queen 
with five or more, but if the 10 is not in hand, then : — 



A A 

4«. 4» 
A** 
A A 



A A 

V 4- 
4. 4. 

4* 
+ + 



A A A A 4* 4* 

4* 

4» 4*1 4* +| 4^ *_ 



Plain Suits : — Lead king with four, quwith more than 
four. 

Trumps : — Fourth best with less than seven; qu with 
seven or more. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



73 







*A*| 
A** 


A 4. 
4« , 4* 

A A 



and one or more small. 



Plain Suits : — Lead fourth-best. 

Trumps : — Lead knave, with four in suit follow with 
10, with five or more follow with 9. Holding kn, 10, 9, 
8 only, lead knave then 8. 

The foregoing combinations are the only ones which 
call for a different lead in trumps. Here they are in tab- 
ular form. 




4« 4* v.v 

*A* A* A 

*** %* 

A A A A 



+ .* 

V 
A 4. 

4. 4. 



4, A 
A 4. 
4. 4. 



4* * 
* 

A A 



*A* 

*A* 

a** 



A A 

4»'4» 



*4,* *a* 

A A A A 

4* 

A A A A 



A A 
4. 4. 
4. 4. 



A 4, 

* 

4. 4, 



*A* 
4.^4. 



" 



4» 4- 
4> 



A A 

4» 

4. 4. 

*_ + 


4, 4. 
4. 4. 



4- 4- 
4» 

4* 4- 



*A* 
A* 1 ** 

4.** 


4, 4. 

A J* 

*** 
A A 


*** 

4. 4. 
4* 


A A 

4* 

4. A 

4* 4* 








|| 


4. 4. 

4.*4. 

4* * 


*4.* 

4. 4, 

4* 


*A* 

4» V * 

4, 4. 








*A* 
4.4. 

t 4*A 


4. 4. 

A j* 
4,** 

4. 4. 


*** 

4» 
4. 4. 

4* 


A A 

* 

4. 4. 

4* 4» 



4. 4. 
4. 4. 
4. 4. 



4. 4. 
4, 4. 
4. 4. 



A A 

4« 

4, 4. 



4. 4. 

4. 4. 

4» 4* 


A 4. 

4» 

4. 4. 



4. A 

4- 
4. 4. 



With seven in all (as above) trumps are led the same 



74 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



as plain suits ; with less than seven, the fourth-best is 
led. For example, if the 5 is dropped from each of the 
above (the last combination excepted), then in trumps 
the 8 would be led in each. In the last combination (kn, 
10, 9, etc.), the knave is led in trumps irrespective of 
number, in plain suits the fourth-best. 

Special Trump Leads. 

The situation often demands a special trump lead. If 
a ruff or see-saw is imminent, or for any special reason 
you desire two or more rounds of trumps at all hazard, 
you will lead a winning high trump when you other- 
wise would not. The score may affect your play of 
trumps ; suppose the score stands at 6 against you, and 
the opponents have four, five or six tricks home, you 
see the game is gone, unless a strengthening trump will 
save it, and you lead accordingly. The rank of the card 
turned often necessitates an irregular lead in trumps. 
Here are a few examples : — 

SPECIAL TRUMP LEADS. 



FROM 


TURNED TO YOUR RIGHT. 


LEAD 


Ace, king, etc 


Oueen. 


King. 


Ace, queen, 10, etc.. 


Knave. 


Queen. 


King", knave, 10, etc.. 


Oueen. 


s King. 


King, knave, 9, etc.. 


10 


Knave. 


Queen, knave, 9, etc. 


10 


Queen. 


Knave, 10, 8, etc 


9 


Knave. 



The trump turned with partner may also modify your 
lead. For example, holding ace, king, queen and others, 
knave turned with partner, you, of course, lead small. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 75 

Irregular Original Leads. 

An irregular lead is often a necessity, even as the 
original lead of the hand. The player always has the 
option of exercising his judgment in the matter of 
accepting an ordered lead. Irregular leads from high 
cards in sequence may be preferable to opening four 
trumps or a very weak plain suit. Here are some the 
least objectionable : — 

Ace from — Ace, king. 

King from — King, queen, knave. 

King, queen, and one small. 
Ten from — King, knave, 10. 
Queen from — Queen, knave, 10. 

Queen, knave, and one small. 
Knave from — Knave, 10, 9. 

Knave, 10, and one small. 

You may at any time lead the king from the ace, king 
and three or more small, when you deem it advisable to 
show the ace rather than the numerical strength. You 
may likewise lead the king from ace, king, knave and 
two or more small, with the idea of changing the suit to 
await the return for the finesse. You may lead fourth- 
best from ace, king and others ; ace, and four or more 
small. You may refuse to open from your best suit, 
selecting a second-best ; as with ace, queen, 10, 2 and 
qu, 10 4, 3 you may open from the queen high suit. The 
fall to the first lead may render an irregular second lead 
a necessity. For instance, with ace, queen, 10 and four 
small, after the play of ace, you may follow with queen 
— drawing the knave from second hand, the king from 
fourth hand — establishing the suit, when the play of the 



76 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

fourth-best would have permitted the king to remain in 
against you. These are but single instances of hundreds 
that might be given. On the other hand double tenaces, 
like the ace, queen, 10 are not good suits to open. So also 
any three-card suits not in sequence ; or a court card 
and one or two small. Ace, kn, 10 ; ace kn, and one 
small ; ace, 10 and another ; 10 and two small and 9 and 
two small are all the worst possible suits to open. No 
singleton is ever led except the ace of trumps (as an 
original lead). 

Forced Leads. 

You are sometimes forced to open a numerically weak 
suit, that is a suit of less than four cards. This you will 
seldom have to do as the original leader of the hand, for 
then you must have at least one four-card suit, and even 
if your only four-card suit is very weak, it is generally 
best to open it in preference to a three-card suit. If 
your only four-card suit is the trump suit, it is, as a rule, 
best to stick to principle and lead it. But you may get 
in the lead after a round or two, and the character of 
your hand may force you to open a three-card suit. 
When you are forced to do this, and your three cards 
are in sequence, open with the highest, no matter what 
the cards are. It follows that if you have two three- 
card suits, one say, ace, qu, 10 and the other qu, kn, 10 
or kn, 10, 9, you would select the one in sequence, in 
preference to the one of tenaces, as you will do less 
harm, and if you find partner with any strength in the 
suit, you will not lose command of the suit — at least for 
some rounds. If, on the other hand, you lead from the 
ace, qu, 10 suit ; you do not have much chance of taking 
but one trick in the suit ; but if you have the lead come 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



77 



up to you, or through you, you may make two or three 
tricks in the suit. 

If you are forced to open a three-card suit headed by 
ace or king, and the two other cards are small ones, such 
as — ace, 5, 2 ; king, 5, 2 and you have no indications as 
to what your partner has in the suit, you should open 
with a low card. If you open with a high card and 
partner is weak in the suit, you establish the suit for the 
adversaries. For example : — 



l£#A^i\ V t V **■ 




Now, it matters not how A opens the suit, as the cards 
lay, A B can take but one trick, and either the ace or 
the 2 may equally deceive partner ; but there is this in 
favor of opening with the 2 — you do not give up com- 
mand, and the longer you keep the opponents from 



78 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



establishing the suit against you, the more backward will 
be their game, and the more embarrassment you will give 
them. Then, again, with such a hand as you must have, 
to be forced to open a suit like this, you do not want the 
lead, and the lead of the 2 (if partner does not win the 
trick) throws the lead with D, and you still have com- 
mand of the suit. If you lead the ace you retain the 
lead, and must go on with the 5, and the suit is estab- 
lished for the opponents. Suppose we exchange the 
cards of B and D and then we have : — 



* 4- +; 

I + 4- 
4* 4* 4 



4 4- * 4 

4" 
4 4 4- 4- 




**4 4l 

4- + 1 

4- 4 4 4<| 




c 



13 



A 



1) 






j* * * 
1 * * * 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 79 

Here, if A opens with ace and follows with 5, A B take 
two tricks in the suit ; but suppose on the other 
hand — 

1. — A leads 2 ; C plays 4 ; B plays k ; D plays 6. 

2. — B leads kn, and if D does not cover, A, of course, 
finesses, and A B have three tricks in the suit. Trans- 
pose the cards as you may, the balance of advantage is 
with opening the small card ; besides A, not wanting the 
lead with such a hand as this, throws the lead at once, 
and then has the probable chance of a deep finesse in 
the suit, if -B wins the first round and returns a card like 
the kn, 10 or 9, and A thus keeps control of the suit 
until the third round. 

Nearly the same argument applies to the lead of a low 
card from king and two small. If, however, partner has 
shown by discard, or by negative inference, that he has 
strength in the suit, or if he is playing the strong game, 
then the case is entirely different, and you will, of course, 
lead him the ace or king as the case may be. If also, 
the two cards below the ace or king are in sequence and 
of some strength, as ace, 10, 9, it is generally best under 
all conditions to lead the high card, for if you open with 
the ace and follow with 10, partner will mostly be able 
to read it as a forced lead, and will finesse the 10, if only 
moderately strong in the suit. 

If the three-card suit is headed by qu, kn, 10 or lower 
card, usually lead the highest, for these cards are of 
little or no value in resisting the opponents from estab- 
lishing the suit, and they may strengthen partner, for if 
partner has fair strength the qu, kn or 10 will be of great 
benefit to him ; if he has no strength in the suit, no play 
will save a trick nor prevent the opponents from estab- 
lishing the suit. Suppose the following : — 



8o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



4 4 


c 


B 
A 


D 




4 4 4 

4 
4 4 4 




4 444 

4 4 

4 4 44 




ifjjj§ 



4 
4 


44 4 

4 
44 4 




4 4 4 

4 4 
4 4 :♦ 




4 

4 


4 
4 


4 
4 



4* 4* 

4 
4 4 



4 4 



4 4 



i. — A leads qu ; C plays 2 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 6. 

2. — A leads 5, and no matter how C plays, A B have 
three tricks in the suit. On the other hand if A leads 
the 4, a trick is lost. If you exchange the cards of C 
and D no loss results from the lead of qu, as — 



4 


i 


4 
4 



4 
4 


4 

4 


4 
4 




4 4 4 

4 + 
4 4 4 




4444 

4 
4 4 4 4 



B 



D 



A 



44 4 4 
4 4 

4444 



4 


4 4 

4 
4 4 




4 




* 



4* 4 4 4 

4 4) 4 4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 8l 

i. — A leads qu; C plays 6; B plays 3; D plays k, and 
A B make two tricks in the suit, and no play will do more. 
Suppose, again, that B's and C's hands are exchanged in 
the last example, and no loss results from the lead of the 
queen, as — 



* * 

4. -J. 

*** 

* * 


•> 

* * 


4» 4» 
* * 
4. 4. 




iy 


* * 
4. 4. 


4. 4. 

4- * 



1. — A leads qu; C plays ace; B plays 6; D plays 2 

Here, A B cannot by any play take a trick in the suit. 

The advantage in leading the high card here, is that it 

offers to partner the opportunity of finessing, and in the 

event of the balance of strength lying with C, a trick may 



52 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

be gained; if the strength is with D no loss ensues, and 
even in the event of finding B with no strength, little, if 
any, harm is done. 

If it can be avoided do not lead from an honor and 
one small card, especially from ace or king and one small. 
Avoid leading from a double tenace, or the major tenace 
and one small, but endeavor to play so that such suits 
may be led up to you. There is one combination of three 
cards that you do but little harm to open, and that is, k, 
kn, 10 — open with the 10 — it will not deceive partner, 
except, possibly, as to numerical strength. All forced 
leads, from three cards or less, are liable to mislead your 
partner, especially when there is an unusual distribution 
of the suit, but at times there is no other resource. 



Inferences. 

To play good whist it is necessary to be able to draw 
the important inferences with rapidity and accuracy. 
Every card properly played carries with it a true story, 
— big or little as the case may be — if you understand 
the story; it will require but little mental effort to recol- 
lect it as long as it is of use to you. When whist is 
played correctly, especially in the first few rounds of the 
hand, inferences may be drawn rigidly. If A leads orig- 
inally the ace, then knave, B knows at once that A has 
the queen and at least two small. There follow in tabu- 
lar form some of the most important inferences that may 
be drawn from high-card original leads. (Holding up 
and underplay cannot here be provided for, as A leads 
the knave and it holds the trick; he follows with queen 
which also wins; if B has not the ace, he draws the infer- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



83 



ence that A has ace, king and at least three small cards 
of the suit yet in hand, but C or D might have the ace, 
and A, king and three small.) 



TABLE OF INFERENCES. — NO. I. 



LEAD. 


INFERENCES. 


FIRST. 


SECOND. 


SHOWS. 


DENIES. 


NO. IN 
SUIT. 


Ace. 

Ace. 

Ace. 

Ace. 

Ace. 

Ace. 

King. 

King.t 

King.* 

King.t 

King.* 

King. 

King. 

King. 


King. 

Queen. 

Knave. 

10 

9 

4th 

ace 
qu 
qu 
kn 
kn 
10 

9 
4th 


Knave. 

Queen. 

Qu and kn. 

Qu, or kn and 10 

Two higher. 

Ace. 
Two small. 
Ace and qu. 

Queen. 

Qu and kn. 

Qu and 10 

Queen. 


Queen. 

King. 

King. 

King. 

King. 
K & qu & kn. 
Queen. 
Knave. 
Knave. 

Ace. 
Ace and kn. 
Ace and kn. 


5 + i 

4 

5 + 

4 

5 + 

5 + 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 


\ 5 or more. f King winning. * King losing. 



84 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

TABLE OF INFERENCES. — NO. II. 



LEAD. 


INFERENCES. 


FIRST. 


SECOND. 


SHOWS. 


DENIES. 


NO. IN 
SUIT. 


Queen 
Queen * 
Queen f 
Queen 
Queen 
Queen 
Queen 
Queen 
Knave 
Knave a 
Knave b 
Knave a 
Knave b 
Ten c 
Ten c 
Ten d 


Ace. 

King. 

King. 

Knave. 

10 

9 

8 

Small 

Ace. 

King. 

King. 

Queen. 

Queen. 

King. 

Knave. 

4th. 


King. 
Ace. 

10 

Knave. 

Knave, 10 

King, 10, 9 

K and two higher 

King, queen. 

Ace, queen. 

Queen. 

Ace, king. 

King. 

Knave. 

King. 

King, knave. 


Knave. 

Knave. 

Knave. 
Ace, king, 9 
Ace, king. 
Ace, king. 
Ace, knave. 
Ace, knave. 

Ace. 

Ace. 
Ace, queen. 
Ace, queen. 
Ace, queen. 


5+X 

6+ 

5+ 

4 

5+ 

4 

5+ 

5 + 

5 

6 

5 

7 + 
6+ 

4 

5+ 

4+ 


% 5 or more. * Queen winning. f Queen losing. 
a Knave winning, and ace not in third hand, b Knave losing, 
or ace in third hand, c Ten forcing queen, d Ten winning. 



Example Hands. 



As a review of the foregoing analysis of the play of the 
first hand, a few example hands are given, together with 
comments. Some exceptional hands are included, which 
justify irregular leads. The leads given in the analysis 
of the examples are supposed to be original leads and 
a small card is assumed to be turned. There is no 
score. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



35 



NO. I (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



/IS 




* * 




* ♦ 


il 




* 
* * 




* * 












<? <? 




<? 9? 




9 






9? 9 




9 


<? ^ 




<? 0? 




9 




0^0 

0<>0 

o o 



This is a very simple hand. The student will observe 
that there is but one four- card suit — the d — and that 
the proper way to open the hand is with the ace, follow 
with 10, and show the qu and kn exactly. 






NO. 2 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 







•;\ If V 




4. * 


0~^ 




4. 4. 






















86 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Here is a hand in which there are two strong suits, one 
of four and one of five cards. The heart suit is very 
strong in the matter of high cards, but the spade suit has 
high cards and great numerical strength. Open the spade 
suit with ace and follow with kn, thus denying the king 
and showing the queen and at least two others. 



NO. 3 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 







4> ♦ 







^15* 




' 


JM 


s? 


S? 












s? 






/Wwxk 








<? 



-!• 4- 




4. 4. 




* 


* 








4. 


4> 4. 




*^fr 




4. 



o 




O 



The heart is evidently the suit here; open with k, and 
then change the suit, leading the 3 of diamonds. Partner 
will read you with the ace of hearts and probably kn also, 
and if he has the queen, he will return it to you at the 
proper time, if he gets in; if he return a small card you 
know the qu of hearts is against you and you may finesse 
kn, if you deem it best. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 
NO. 4 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



87 



<? 




<? 






* 


* 


* 


* 


4- 


4- 



* 4 
4« 

4 4* 




4- 4- 
* 4- 



\ ! 




ill 

Hi 




* 4 




4 4 

4 
4 4 

* * 

























Here are three four-card suits, but it is easy to decide 
to open the spade suit. Lead the k ; if it wins follow 
with the 7, showing queen and one card higher than the 
second lead. 

NO. 5 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



ML 




4f 


1 




4 




9 <y 



4- 

* * 







♦ 









" 















.. 














<0 



88 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



There are two four-card suits in this hand. The d 
suit is headed by the ace, but aside from this the suit is 
very weak. The strong sequence of 10 to queen renders 
the heart suit decidedly the better suit to open — lead qu, 
if it wins, follow with the kn, showing the 10 and cvie 
more. 



NO. 6 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



f§ 






























9? 



*+* 

* * 

TO 

71 




c o 




* 











o <> 

0% 



A suit which contains a sequence of three medium high 
cards is always a better suit to open than a suit headed 
with a single high card, even though it be the ace. Open 
d with the 8; for the second lead play kn and show the io, 
9 only. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 
NO. 7 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



8 9 










^Jltf 




<? V 




c? n 




<V 


s? 




91 




9 




9 




__2__ 



4-, 4- I * 

4» 
4* 4" 4* 

4* 

4* 4*| I 4*_ 



0^0 

0<>0 

o o 


















<> 








It is open for some consideration here. Two five-card 
suits, and both strong. The diamond suit is selected for 
two reasons; first, as a matter of information to partner, 
the 10 d will mark the k, kn and if partner has either ace 
or qu, the suit will be established on the first or second 
round. Second, if the heart suit be opened, leading the 
ace, and then the king, the suit is then worthless, if you 
withhold this suit it may be opened up to you by the 
adversary, and you may capture a court card with your 
king; if you lead out ace and king, small cards will most 
likely fall upon them and the adversaries may be left with 
control. Lead 10 d, and the follow depends upon the fall, 
for if the 10 forces the ace and not qu, you must, if you 
continue the suit, go on with k. If the 10 forces the qu 
or both ace and qu, then the k, kn are of indifferent value, 
and you go on with kn — showing five at least in suit. If 
the 10 wins the trick, follow with the 5. 



9° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 






NO. 8 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



*jg?. I [* s r* *i a si ~ * 

«W a* a * * * 

H^ * ^ A A A * A 



*JM 




+ A + 




A 


a 




A ^» 




A ' * 




, 








■-■ {(]=;' 




*** 
















A 1 * 




A 


A 




L A A 



<>MM 




O 


o v o 

o 







o 



This hand is different in character from any of the pre- 
ceding ones. There is no high-card combination, and 
consequently the opening must be with a fourth-best 
card. The spade suit is the longest and strongest suit — 
open with the 5, the fourth-best card. 



NO. 9 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



LflSv 




A A 


Mill 




A A 


iiii 




A A 


1 


9 


* 




<? 


1 




<?_ 




o<>o 
o o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 91 

Here is a very exceptional hand, and to make the most 
of it requires exceptional treatment. There is a great 
suit of diamonds — six tricks in it barring trumps. The 
tierce major in trump only, but this insures three rounds. 
If you open the diamond suit it may be trumped the first 
round. The best thing to do is to draw three rounds of 
trump — leading from the ace down. If partner has the 
long trumps, a great game must follow, if with the oppo- 
nents, the diamonds will force their play. After three 
rounds of trumps open the d suit conventionally — with the 
kn and follow with the king. 



NO. IO (CLUBS TRUMPS). 






<?||L 




9 <? 







*|1 




-*. 4. 




4* 


Mill 








•j. 


Y'y' IV'"'' 










wm 




+ _+ 




._*_ 



♦ 
0% 



01 










o| 


•C> 



This hand differs from any yet examined from the fact 
that the only four-card suit is the trump suit. You can- 
not do better than to open with the 2 of trumps. It will 
not deceive partner; he will read that you most likely 



9 2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



have three cards of each suit and four trumps. If he 
wins the first round he will not return the trump unless it 
suits his hand to have trumps come out. As a rule when 
your only four-card suit — or rather when you have no 
plain suit of more than three cards — stick to principle and 
lead the trump suit. 



NO. II (CLUBS TRUMPS). 




Hi 








o 


SI 




o o 




o 1 



Here, again, is a very exceptional hand. Strength in all 
the suits. The only singleton that is ever led is the ace 
of trumps. It can deceive partner, but for the moment; 
for, if you lead it and stop, you say to partner, " I am 
strong in all the suits and can take care of them, almost 
unaided, get out the trumps, draw two for one, and then 
lead me the best cards you hold, without any regard to 
conventions, I'm responsible for this hand." Open with 
ace of trumps, follow with king of hearts, then lead the 
k d, if it wins follow with the deuce. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



93 



NO. 12 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



* ♦ 




* * 




* 






* ♦ 












* * 




* * 




4 




s? 


s? 








<? 








"9 




9? 
4. 4. 












*** 

+ * 

4* 


0% 




* 




4- 








4. 








4, 4. 




4. 




0~ 


<> 




<^ 




0- ♦ 























This is a " Yarborough " ; a term used to characterize 
a hand at whist in which there is no card higher than a 
9. It is a very poor hand, but this is no reason why it 
should not be played properly, the odd card may depend 
upon its proper play; its improper play may lose a game. 
It is infinitely more to your credit to save a trick by good 
play of a hand like this than to take all thirteen tricks 
with a hand that is invincible. Simply play the hand con- 
ventionally, opening with the 3 d. 

NO. 13 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



<? <? 




0% 




s? s? 


<? <? 




* 


4. 


_*_ 



94 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



This is a hand over which there has been a great deal 
of discussion, not as to which card should be led, when 
the suit has been decided upon, but as to which suit 
should be opened. This is a point to be marked. The 
student will observe that to know which cardto lead is 
usually a comparatively easy matter, but that at times, 
in exceptional hands, the greatest whist minds diverge — 
they differ in their judgment as to which suit to select to 
open. This is one of the many fine points the whist 
writers never reach. The long whist player — where 
honors do not count, and seven points are game — would 
at once select the heart suit as the one to open, leading, 
of course, the fourth-best card. 



NO. 14 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



A A 

A A 



A A 
A A 



A A 



A A 



s? 




SB 










Players addicted to the pernicious habit of leading 
from short suits and singletons would here delight in the 
lead of the 3 of d. It is true that this lead might result 
in more tricks than the proper lead of the fourth-best 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



9^ 



spade, but in the majority of cases such leads must lose 
as against the long-suit play. By the lead of a singleton 
as the first lead of all you deceive partner and may 
wreck his hand as well as your own. Besides you dis- 
turb his confidence in your reliability. If the object is 
to ruff with the small trumps, the chances for doing so 
are just as good if you wait, as some one must be long 
in the suit and will lead it, and when led, your poverty 
in the suit will not be suspected the first round. 



* ♦ 



NO. 15 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 









9? <? 




<? 


9? 




<? <? 


1 








9 
9 




9? cp 



BR 

yam 




»!♦ . 4* 
*** 




•I* 4* 

4* 4* 




4. 4. 




* 
4* 
4. 




* 1 
4- 



This is an exceptional hand. With six trumps it is 
nearly always right to lead them, but here, aside from 
the numerical strength in h, the hand has no strength, 
and the object in drawing the trumps at the very start 
is not apparent. The safest play is perhaps the fourth- 
best heart. If partner wins the first round he will most 
likely open either d or s, and in either event the play will 
enable him to read your probable holding early in the 
play of the hand. 



9 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



NO. l6 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 

... * 



9 <? 



4*JL A 

4. * + 




A A 
* 

A A 

A 




A A 




A A 
A A 
4- * 




A A 






Oa° 










































<> 



This is an exceptional hand. The fourth-best d is no 
doubt the safest opening. If you part with the ace of d 
the suit is nearly worthless. Holding ace and four 
small cards, do not, as a rule, lead the ace, especially in 
conjunction with numerical strength in trumps. 

NO. 17 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



£J$£ 


A A 




* 


'' '! 


1* 4 






iM# 


1* ♦ 




* 




MODERN SCIENTIFIC \VHIS n ' 



97 



Open with the k d — showing partner your suit and 
then the 6 of trumps. 



NO. 1 8 (CLUBS TRUMPS). 



A 
0°0 
0<>0 
O 


















S? 9 



°0° 

o. 

O 





♦ 
o 






O 01 



o 



Here, again, is an exceptional hand. The only four 
card suit (aside from the trump suit) is very weak, but 
there is nothing better than to stick to rule and open it. 
There is no other suit to be considered — except the 
spade suit, and if this suit is opened it must be with k, 
then queen, and if you are forced to discontinue this 
suit, you will then be driven to the diamond suit, and 
nothing will have been gained. Besides you run the 
risk of establishing the spade suit for the opponents. 
It is hardly ever good play to choose a three-card suit 
from which to make the first lead of all — usually stick 
to principle and open your four-card suit even if very 
weak. 



98 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

The First Card, 

The first card led is die index to the hand — the pro- 
logue to the play, and the one who utters it should do so 
in such a way as not to confuse and render ambiguous 
the entire performance. This is the card that puts the 
quartette to thinking. Partner says — " What has he got ? " 
and at once formulates a line of attack or defense con- 
sistent with the character of his hand and the rank of 
the card led. If he is weak, and the card led is 
indicative of weakness — defensive tactics are adopted, 
If, on the other hand, he is strong and the first card 
implies strength, the line of play is aggressive. It follows 
that the card you first lead should not be selected with- 
out due deliberation, and that it should be as informatory 
as the character of your hand will permit. The first 
lead of all will rarely, if ever, be other than conventional, 
and will as often represent the best suit of the hand. It 
matters not that the adversaries also read the play. 

When you are to lead for the first time — not being the 
original leader, you usually open your strong suit, and 
exactly in the same manner as though you were the first 
hand of all to lead ; but your responsibility is not so 
great, besides the fall to the previous tricks may be such 
that you may open with any card you see fit, the reason 
for it being apparent from the play. It is the first card 
of all that should almost always be conventional, i. e., 
it should be from your best suit— if a high card, it 
should proclaim the holding ; if a low card, it should 
be the fourth-best. After the first card is thrown, all 
conventionalities stand second to the fall of the cards, 
and any player is justified in leading any card, no matter 
how unconventional it may be. Irregular play under 
such circumstances will not usually deceive partner, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 99 

nor even the opponents, for in order to make your 
irregular play justifiable, the fall must be such that it will 
place all the players upon guard and they will read your 
play subject to the previous fall. What would be false 
and unconventional play as an original play, under such 
circumstances, becomes, in fact, conventional play ; in 
other words it is conventional to lead irregularly when 
the fall renders it expedient to do so. 

For the first lead of all a singleton is never led, except 
occasionally the ace of trumps. No two-card suit is 
opened originally, except in rare cases, you may open 
from ace, king only — leading ace then king. In an 
exceptional hand a three-card suit of high cards in 
sequence may be opened, but even this is rarely best. In 
the majority of cases the first card will represent a suit 
of four or more cards ; if a high-card combination, the 
holding will be proclaimed ; if a low card is led, it 
announces three higher cards. 

For further instruction on the leads — first and second 
— the student is directed to the chapter — Counting the 
Hands. The examples therein given should be thoroughly 
examined. If the student is not familiar with all the 
leads — first and second, — he will not be prepared to 
understand the analyses of second and third-hand play 
which are to follow. His knowledge of the leads as set 
forth in the tables, and his understanding of the infer- 
ences to be drawn from the various leads, must not be 
superficial. The student should not pass this point 
until his examination of the principles so far treated is 
comprehensive and exhaustive. 



CHAPTER III. 



SECOND HAND. 



The older writers did not give to the play of second 
hand the consideration it merits. There are more tricks 
lost by the average player in the play of second hand 
than in any other position. The correct play of second 
hand is the most difficult of any at the table, and very 
much depends upon its skillful management. 

Play Your Lowest Card Second Hand. 

This is a good general rule, but the exceptions are 
many and very important. The play of second hand has 
been very materially affected by what is known as 
American Leads. The play of the fourth-best card, and 
the improved order of leads from high-card combinations, 
enable second hand to count the cards, draw inferences, 
and finesse accordingly. Second hand play is subject in 
a material degree to the trumps in hand, the card turned, 
the score, etc. That which may be proper play if weak in 
trumps, may be bad play if strong in them. You may 
often make a great game by a well-judged finesse, and 
you must not forget when planning your finesse second 
hand, that if your finesse fails you are then last player 
to the next trick, which should be an advantage to you; 
if it is not, then your finesse lacked at least one of the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. IOI 

justifications for finessing second hand. Third hand is 
supposed to put up his best card, if needed, and you 
must consider the play of a high card second hand very 
carefully or you will weaken your hand to no purpose. 
The card led, in conjunction with the cards you hold, 
may enable you to divine whether third hand is likely 
to finesse or put up his best card. Should you think his 
position will not justify him in finessing, you may finesse, 
for, if you judge the card he may play will in any event 
be higher than your best card, you gain to the extent of 
your finesse. The conditions change at every step, and 
your play is subject to all the modifications arising from 
previous play. You must distinguish between conven- 
tional and forced leads, and you cannot be too careful 
about trumping second hand; it is nearly always danger- 
ous, and may be very disastrous. 

A single card in your hand will often enable you to 
detect a forced lead. The original lead of the hand will, 
except in rare cases, be conventional, but, later in play, 
forced or irregular leads, are common. If you hold ace 
or 10, the 9 led, the lead is forced; or king or kn — 10 led, 
k or qu — kn led, the lead is irregular. If you hold a 
fourchette to any high card led, the lead is forced. If an 
8 or any low card is led, and you hold such cards as 
render it impossible for the leader to have three cards 
higher than the one led, you know, of course, that the 
lead is forced, and so on; in a thousand ways the cards 
tell their story. You must, likewise, be on the alert for 
under play, and all manner of finesse. One of the finest 
points in whist is to throw the lead at a critical moment 
in the strategy of the play. Playing through the strong 
hand up to the weak is a device you must be prepared 
to meet. All these things, and many more, must be 
taken into consideration in playing second hand. 



102 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Exceptions to Lowest Card Second Hand. 

i. — With three in suit, two in sequence, you should 
generally play the lower of the sequence cards. 

For example: C holding kn, 10, 2, the 3 led, plays 10 — 
not deuce. 

2. — With three cards in sequence, and one or more 
small, you play lowest of sequence. For instance, you 
hold ace, k, qu, 6 you play qu second hand. 

3. — When you can count the cards in leader's hand. 

As: A leads 7, — C holding ace, qu, kn, 9, gives A the 
k, 10, 8, 7, and knows that the 9 must win the trick. 
The play of the kn, though in sequence, would be bad 
play. Had A led the 4, C must have put up kn. 

4. — When you hold a fourchette. 

You have a fourchette when you hold the card next 
higher and next lower than the card led ; as 10 led, you 
holding kn, 9. To a conventional original lead of a high 
card you cannot hold a fourchette ; but they are common 
when the lead is forced. Holding a fourchette is notice 
to you that the lead is irregular, and you play accord- 
ingly. 

5. — When you hold a double tenace. 

As with ace, qu, 10, and others you play qu — usually, 
or finesse the 10 — and not a small card. 

6. — When you wish to ask for trumps. 

If you desire to call for trumps, you play an unneces- 
sarily high card — say, the trey to ace led, and then the 
deuce to the king. If you wish to call, and also cover 
with one of two or more cards in sequence, you must 
cover with the higher of the two in sequence. For 
example, holding kn, 10, 4, you play the kn, not the 10, 
if you wish to call. (See The Call.) 

7. — When you wish to get in for a particular purpose. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 103 

You may attempt to win the trick by the play of a 
high card, which you otherwise would not have played. 
Suppose partner has asked for trumps, you may hazard 
a play for possession of lead ; likewise, if he has shown 
a desire to get in, and your hand is of such a nature 
that you cannot lead him a card to mutual advantage, 
you may underplay with the view of putting him in. 

8. — When you can take the trick and still hold 
command. 

As, holding ace, king, and others, you play king. 

9. — With ace and others, a court card led. 

You usually cover a court card led, holding ace and 
others, as with ace, queen, and others, knave led, play 
ace. 

10. — When a suit can go round but once, or unlikely 
to run twice. 

As with ace and six, or more small, you play ace irre- 
spective of the rank of the card led. 

11. — With but two or three cards below the knave. 

A higher one than the one led may be of some service. 
For instance, holding 10, 4 the 8 led, you may play 10 ; 
or with 8, 5, the 7, or 6 led, you cover. Such play 
should not be mistaken for a call, for if second hand 
plays first a higher and then a lower card, and the higher 
card covers the card led, as the 10 on the 8, the 8 on the 
7, etc., partner will not lead trumps from this play alone, 
but should read the play as a probable cover. To be 
sure, it may happen that second hand may wish to call 
with such holding, but this contingency will occur less 
frequently than will the necessity for covering. The 
call second hand must be absolute, and the card played, 
palpably winecessarily high, to constitute a call. 

12. When you hold a singly-guarded court card. 

As the 9 or 8 led, you hold k and small — play k. 



104 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



13. — When you wish to cover the card led, with the 
idea of saving a high card for partner, as with k, 9, and 
one small, you play 9 to 8 led. 

Below, in tabulated form, is the proper play for second 
hand. These tables apply with more force to the original 
opening of the hand. When no qualification is stated, the 
play is the same in trump as in plain suits. A low card 
is supposed to be turned. By " small " is meant a card 
in rank below the 7. 

TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. I. 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 



CARD LED 



PLAYS 



ace, k, qu — with or without others, 
ace, k, kn — with or without others. 

ace, k — and two or more small 

ace, k — and one small 

ace, qu, kn — with or without others 

ace, qu, 10 only 

ace, qu, 10 — and one or more small 
ace, qu — with or without others.. . 
ace, qu — with or without others. . . 

ace, qu — and others 

ace, kn, 10 — and one or more small 

ace, kn — and one or more small 

ace — and others 

ace— and six or more small 

ace — and less than seven in suit. . . 



any 

any 

any 

small 

any 

small 

small 

kn 

10 

small 

small 

k or qu 

, qu or kn 

any 

small 



qu (a) 

k 

k(b) 

small (c) 

kn 

10 

qu (d) 

ace 

qu 

small (e) 

small (f) 

ace (g) 

ace (h) 

ace (i) 

small 



(a) It is understood that when second hand can count the leader's 
hand he plays accordingly; as here if the 7 is led, second hand 
holding ace, k, qu and 8 — plays the 8 and not the qu. So, also, if 
in trumps, the 7 led, the 10 turned w't.h fourth hand, second hand 
holding k, qu, kn and deuce, will throw the deuce and not the kn. 
These obvious exceptions will not be referred to again. 

(b) Play small in trumps unless qu is led, or you are desirous 
of stopping the lead. 

(c) With just three in suit to a small card led, the small card is 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I05 



tlie better play in the majority of cases, and nearly always if strong 
enough in trumps to lead them. It is an even chance partner will 
win the first round, and you do not propose to have the suit go 
three times before trumps are led, as you get in on the second 
round of the suit; besides partner is as likely as your left hand 
opponent to be the one who is short of the suit. In trumps play 
small unless you desire the lead for special reasons. 

(d) If you are strong in trumps play 10. In trumps play 10. 

(e) With six in suit play qu; with seven in all, play ace. 

(f ) In trumps play 10, as leader may have k, qu. 

(g) It is sometimes good play to pass the k or qu holding ace, 
kn, etc., but it is generally best to throw the ace. 

(h) In trumps pass, unless you wish to stop the lead. 

(i) In trumps play small. Pass even the second round if you 
have a good hand. You may also pass in plain suit, if strong 
enough in trumps to lead them. 

TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. 2. 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 



k, qu, kn — with or without others. . 

k, qu, 10 — and one or more 

k, qu — and others 

k, qu — and others 

k, kn, 10 — with or without others. . 

k, kn, 9 — and one or more 

k, kn — and one or more 

k, kn — only 

k, kn — with or without others 

k and one small 

k and others 

k and one small 



CARD LED 


PLAYS 


any 


kn 


small 


qu 


small 


qu (a) 


kn 


qu (b) 


small 


10 (c) 


small 


small (d) 


small 


small 


small 


kn 


9 


kn 


9 


k 


9 


small 


small 


small (e) 



(a) Generally play qu; in trumps, a low card. 

(b) The lead is forced, and you may sometimes pass to advan- 
tage. 

(c) In trumps the 10 should nearly always be played; in plain 
suits generally, but you may often play small with advantage. 



io6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



(d) To the 7 or 6 led you may sometimes throw the 9 to advan- 
tage, especially if desirous of getting the lead. 

(e) In trumps generally play k. If the lead is in answer to a 
call, play small, as ace is to your left. If you have the k turned, 
or if the ace is up to your right, throw k. Aside from these 
exceptions there is but little advantage in favor of the play of king. 
And to a small card led, it is often best to play small, as it does 
not expose you to probable adverse finessing. 

TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. 3. 



SKCOND HAND HOLDING 


CARD LED 


PLAYS 


qu, kn, 10 — with or without others 

qu, kn — and others 


small 
any 
small 
10 or 9 
10 or 9 
small 

small 
small 
small 

9 

9 
small 

small 
small 

small 
small 


10 
small 
kn (a) 

qu 

small 

small (b) 

9 
small 
10 (c) 

kn 

small 

small (d) 

small 
9 

small 
8 


qu, kn — -and one small 


qu — and one small 


qu — and more than one small 

qu — and one small 


kn, 10, 9 — with or without others 

kn, 10 — and others 


kn, 10 — and one small 


kn — and one or two small 

kn — and more than two small 

kn — and one small 


ten, 9 — and others 


ten, 9 — and one small 


nine, 8 — and others 


nine, 8 — and one small 





(a) See page 108. 

(b) In trumps play queen. {See note to king and one small.) 

(c) See page 109. 

(il) In trumps generally play kn. {See page. 109.) 



It is possible for situations to occur, in which the 
order of play, as tabulated, might not be the best; but 
tables have nothing to do with exceptional situations. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. I07 

When you have an exceptional hand you must meet it 
with exceptional play, and the player who possesses the 
better whist perception, will be successful. Almost as 
much depends on knowing when to depart from the 
rules as in knowing when to follow them. A hundred 
volumes might be filled with rules, examples, and instruc- 
tions, and still fall short of the possibilities of the game. 
The resources and scope of whist defy complete analysis. 

Analysis of Play of Second Hand in Detail. 

Holding three high cards — ace, k, qu, or k, qu, kn 
— The lowest in sequence is unquestionably the play, 
and there can be no finesse except in rare cases. 

Queen, kn., 10 and one or more — There may be a 
chance for a finesse, if a small card is led (plain suit), 
for either ace or king — possibly both — lie over you and 
your 10 may be sacrificed. In trumps the 10 should go, 
and usually in plain suits also, but you may someti?nes 
finesse with profit. 

Knave, 10, 9, and others. — This case is somewhat 
analogous to the preceding one. In trumps play 9; but 
in plain suits you may finesse to advantage. 

Ace, k, kn. — Here the king should go in either plain 
suits or trumps. 

Ace, qu. kn and others — You are too strong for finesse 
here — play kn. 

Ace, qu, 10 — With no others play ten, either trump or 
suit. With others, the qu should usually be played. 
With one more you may finesse 10 either in suit or 
trumps, if the character of your hand and position war- 
rant it. 

King, kn, 10 and one or more — Usually play 10, but 
you may sometimes finesse to advantage. 



108 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Two High Cards. 

Ace, k, and one small — To a low card led you will do 
well sometimes to pass. If weak in trumps the k bad 
best be played, unless your hand is of such a character 
that by having it led up to, in case the finesse loses to 
third hand, you recover at once. The justification for 
finessing second hand, like for third in hand, must be 
found in the hand itself. It is the combination of cards 
you hold in all the suits that directs the play, in conjunc- 
tion with the score, etc. 

King, qu and one or more small — You should gener- 
ally throw queen. If you finesse you should be strong 
enough in trumps to lead them, or you should have ten- 
aces to be led up to in case the trick goes to third hand. 

Queen, kn and one small — Here the object of putting 
on the knave is not so clear. Exhaustive analysis will 
show that the advantages, if any, are very slight, even if 
the one suit only is considered. The exposure incident 
to the play of kn must not be forgotten. The leader 
cannot have both ace and king, except in rare cases. It 
is about an even chance that your knave falls to one of 
these cards third hand. Third hand, in all likelihood, 
will play either ace or king if you do not play knave. If 
you play knave, you have exposed your hand and sacri- 
ficed your knave. If the k is in partner's hand he wins 
the trick; if the ace is with partner, king with leader, you 
— barring trumps — win first and third rounds instead of 
first and second. In the majority of combinations it is 
immaterial which you play — the knave or small card; 
when it is material, the advantages are slightly in favor 
of the play of the kn. In trumps the kn should be 
played, for the conditions are very different. While the 
kn is given as the play, with this holding, in the preced- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. IO9 

ing table, it should be known that the advantages in its 
favor amount to but very little, and that a well-judged 
finesse with this holding may make or save a game. 

Knave, 10 or 10, 9 and one small — The order for play 
is the lowest of sequence. There are no disadvantages 
here, and there are cases where loss will ensue if you 
finesse — you should generally play the card in sequence. 

From the foregoing it will be seen that the advantages 
in favor of the play of the high card, second hand, hold- 
ing ace, k ; qu, kn ; or kn, 10 and one small, are very 
slight and that against this stand the exposure resulting 
from the play and the adverse finessing incident thereto. 
This frequently more than offsets the meagre advantage. 
Keep this in mind, and when your hand warrants any 
finesse, do not hesitate to play the small card with these 
holdings. 

One High Card. 

Holding king, queen, or knave and one small card 
second hand, to a small card led — plain suits — the order 
for play is the small card. As a matter of making tricks 
it is almost an even thing, but it is conventional to play 
the small card unless you desire the lead, or wish to call 
for trumps, and partner so reads the play. In trumps 
the honor is often thrown, as the margin in favor of the 
play of the high card is greater than in plain suits, owing 
to the more backward play of trumps by leader. Here, 
also, some discretion is necessary, and it is often best to 
throw the small card. Whether the lead of trumps is 
voluntary or in response to a call, has much to do with 
your play, and the rank of the card turned may influence 
your play. Cover no honor with an honor, holding but 
a single honor, except you put on ace. For instance: 
Do not put qu on kn, nor k on qu or kn unless you hold 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



a fourchette, or wish to force at once the higher cards. 
{But see The Play of the Second Hand to Forced Leads, 
page ooo.) 

Special Plays for the Second Hand when the 8 is Led. 

The 8 and 7 are cards of high rank — as fourth-best 
cards. When 8 or 7 is led, second hand, holding certain 
combinations, is enabled to count the leader's cards in 
the suit with accuracy. It will often occur, when the 8 or 
7 is led, that the second hand can determine the exact 
combination from which the lead is made, or it may be 
that he can read that the lead must be from one of two, 
three, or four combinations. When the second hand can 
do this, it not infrequently directs him to a safe finesse, 
or justifies him in covering the card led, for the purpose 
of saving a high, or master card, for partner. There 
follow a few examples illustrating this feature of the 
play of the second hand, the 8 led. 



A + 



+_+ 



A * 4. 

A * 





B 


c 


D 




A 


m 


* * 

*** 

a 4. 


a 

a 




4. 4. 

4.^40 



4* 

L I 



*A* 

4. ' 4, 

A** 






D, as the original leader, leads the 8. A, holding k, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



9, 2, knows that the lead is from one of the two com- 
binations given above- — and four cards only in suit. This 
leaves six cards to be divided between C and B. If A 
finds B with the qu and three others, the play of the 9 on 
the 8, may gain a trick. Suppose the cards lay as above, 
D leading from the ace, kn, 10, 8, then — 

1. — D leads 8; A plays 9; C plays 6; B plays 3. 

2 (C to lead). — C leads 7; B plays 4; D plays 10; A 
plays k. 

Now, if D is forced to lead the suit, B's qu is good, 
and A B have three tricks in the suit. The result is the 
same whether B or D leads at trick two. Suppose, on 
the other hand, A plays as under: 

1. — D leads 8; A plays 2; C plays 6; B plays qu. 

Now, no matter how or by whom the suit is next led, 
A B can take but two tricks in the suit. If C's and B's 
hands are exchanged, no harm is done by the play of the 
9 by A. Suppose, again, that the lead is from the 
stronger combination, ace, qu, 10, 8, and the cards lie as 
under; 



* 4, 
* 



* * 



* 
* 


* 
* 


+1 

i 




•1 
* 


- 
* 


* 
* 



c 


B 
A 


D 


i * 




w 


1 *!• -J* 

-Jo -Jo -J. -J. 




1 >$. 4. ►!•] 
1**1 
* + *| 






112 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — D leads 8; A plays 9; C plays 6; B plays 3. 

2 (C to lead). — C leads 7; B plays 4 — and unless A 
finesses the 10, or plays the ace and leads the 10, D's kn 
may make. Here, again, if the hands of C and B are 
exchanged, A, by the play of the 9, neither gains nor 
loses. 

No matter how the remaining six cards of the suit are 
divided, no loss can come from the play of the 9 second 
hand, and, as demonstrated above, second hand may gain 
a trick by the play. Again: — 



4, ' 4. 4. 4. 
4* 4*1 4* 4* 



4. 4. 4. 
4» 4* 

4» 4* 4* 




•!• •!• 
4" , 4> 
4> .5. 




*4»* 

A 4. 

4* 

4= 4» 


1 






•!• 4> 

*** 
4, 4. 




*+* 

4. 4. 

4> 



1. — D leads 8 (from k, kn, 9, 8); A plays 10; C plays 
2; B plays 3. 

The cover by A saves B's ace, and if D continues the 
suit, AB have three tricks. If A does not cover, no play 
will yield but two tricks. If A finds the ace with C, the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



"3 



sacrifice of the 10 costs nothing, as then no play will 
give but a single trick. If the lead is from the ace, kn, 
9, 8, A, likewise, cannot lose by covering with the 10, 
and he may gain a trick by saving partner's king. Once 
more: — 




If D leads the 8, A gives him one o! the three com- 
binations diagramed above, and it will be readily seen 
that if the lead is from the first two, the k makes if put 
up the first round. If the lead is from the last, it is an 
even chance that the ace is with B, so that it is more than 
two to one that the k makes if played upon the 8 led, 
second hand, holding k, io only. 

Similar arguments apply to various combinations, such 
as ace, io; qu, io; kn, 9 and one small card. These 
special plays — second hand — when the 8 is led, follow in 
tabular form. 



TI4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 
TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO, 4. 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 


CARD LED 


PLAYS 


ace, k — and one small 


8 

8 

8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 

8 
8 
8 
8 

8 
8 

8 


small * 
10 

k 
10 
k 

9 
k 
k 

10 
10 
9 
9 

9 
9 

10 


ace, 10 — and one small 


k, kn — only 


k, 10 — and one small 


k, 10 — only 


k, 9 — and one small 


k, q — only 


k — and one small 


qu, 10 — and one small 


qu, 10 — only 


qu, 9 — and one small 


qu, 9 — only 


kn, 9 — and one small 


kn. 9 — only 


10 — and one small 




* If weak in trumps, pia> k. In trump, play small. 



Analysis of Play of Second Hand when the 7 is Led. 

The preceding analysis demonstrates that when the 8 
is led as a fourth best card, second hand holding two 
cards higher than the 8, and one small card should 
nearly always cover the 8. When the 7 is led as the 
fourth-best card, the same principle applies if second 
hand holds three high cards — i. e., three higher than the 
7 — and one small card. The conditions are analogous. 
The object in covering the 7, as in the case of the 8, is 
that you may save a high card for partner; and while, in 
many cases, this may not gain a trick in the suit, it must 
not be forgotten that so long as a high card like the ace, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



"5 



k or qu remains in, it may greatly embarrass the leader 
and render his game less aggressive. This not infre- 
quently results to your advantage in the play of the 
other suits. Besides, if second hand covers the 7 with a 
card like the 10, 9 or 8, and it holds the trick, the play 
is very informatory, and usually much more information 
is given to second and fourth hand than to leader and 
third hand by the play. 

The different combinations will be examined in detail. 




*** 

4, ' 40 

*** 


4. 4> 

4* . 4» 
*** 
4, 4. 


4. 4> 

4." i "4. 

4> A 


*** 

*** 


4. A 
* 

4. 4. 

■f- 

+ + 


* * 

* 4- 


4. 4. 

4. 4. 

4>* i ** 

4. 4. 


*** 

4. 4. 


4. 4. 

+ 
4, 4. 

+ . * 


4. 4. 

4>*4» 
4. 4. 


4. a 

+ 
4, 4, 

4. 
4. .{. 


4. 4. 
* * 
4- + 



It will be seen at a glance that if D leads the 7, and A 
puts on the kn it wins the trick if the lead is from either 
of the combinations headed by the qu. If the lead is 
from the suit headed by the 10, the kn may lose if the 
qu is with C, but it is an even chance that the qu is with 
B. The advantage in playing the k the first round is 



n6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



very slight, but on the other hand if the k is played the 
kn is almost sure to make. The only advantage in play- 
ing the kn is that, if A is forced to next lead the suit (the 
kn having won), he is sure of all three tricks ; when if he 
leads from the tenace he must lose the kn if qu is against. 
But this is more than offset by the fact that if second 
hand plays kn, and it loses, it defers until the third round 
the bringing home of the ace. Play king. 



A ' A 
*A* 

4» A 



only. 





B 




c 




D 




A 









A A 

A . A 
A*A 


A A 
A V A 
A A 


A A 

A V A 

fA _ " A 

•*** *** 

A 

A V A 


V 
A A 

A A 


A V A 
jA A 


A A 
* 


A A 
A*% 
A A 



If D leads the 7, from either the first or second com- 
bination in the above diagram, the play of the 10 by A 
gains a clear trick — barring trumps — as against the play 
of the k. If the lead is from the last two it is more than 
an even chance that the 10 is the better play ; for the 
play of the k may lose a trick even though B has the qu 
or kn, and even if the qu or kn is with C little, if any, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



117 



harm, can come from the play of the 10, especially if A 
is strong in trumps. It is an even chance that 10 wins 
the trick the first round. The 7 led as an original lead, 
second hand holding ace, k, 10 only, should usually phiy 
the 10, especially if strong in trumps, or with a good hand 
to be led up to. In trumps play 10. 



♦I 



only. 





B 




c 


A 


D 



'J* 




4. 4. 

A 
* * 


*A* 
4.^4, 

J4> 4. 

**% 
4. 4. 


**a 

•if* 1 


A A 

4. 4. 

* 

* * 


A 4* 
4. 4. 



If second hand plays the 9 on the 7 led, holding ace, 
k, 9. the finesse is against one card in each case, and this 
card is as likely to be with B as with C. There is more 
justification for finesse second hand against the declared 
strong suit of the opponent, than there is in third hand 
finesse in partner's strong suit. It is true that if A 
finesses the 9 here, and it loses to C, he defers until the 
third round the bringing home of the ace, and C may be 
short of the suit and trump the ace or king ; but it must 
not be forgotten that B is just as likely to be the one 



n8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



who is short, and that if C does eventually trump A's 
master card, it costs him a trump, and this may be the 
best possible thing for A and B's game. Unquestionably, 
the cards may lie so that the finesse may lose, but the 
writer believes that the advantage is largely in favor of 
the play of the 9. If the card A finesses against — the qu, 
kn, or 10 — is with C, he cannot reasonably expect to make 
more than two tricks in the suit by any play ; if the card 
is with partner, he must make three tricks if he finesses, 
but he may make only two if he plays the k. Second 
hand holding ace, k, 9 only, 7 led, should, if the situa- 
tion and his hand justifies any finesse, play 9. In trumps, 
unless desirous of stopping the lead, play 9. 



*** 



A 



only. 





B 


1 


c 


A 


D 




*A* 

4> 4. 
a* a 



4. fh^> 


4. 4. 
A . * 
+ ** 

4. 4. 


A. * 

V 
A A 

_ A _*. 


*** 

4. 4. 

*** 

4. .j. 


4. 4. 

4.^4. 

*_* 

4. 47 

A. * 
+ ** 

4. 4, 


A A A 
A V A 

A A 


A ♦ * 
a v a 

*** 

A*A 


A.A 
V 

A A 

A A 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



II 9 



The same arguments apply as in the preceding 
example. Suppose the following : — 



<* 




*j 




1* 


* 
* 


+| 
*' 



* 



4. 4» 



4. 4. 





B 




c 


A 


D 





■°° •& "> I' 

•J* 
-J* ■$• 4* * 



•J* 4* ■> 

I 1 

;+ + *i 



1. — D leads 7; A plays k; C plays 2; B plays 4. 

Now, if A, C, or B next lead the suit, A B have but 
two tricks. If D next leads the suit, A, to be consistent, 
must play ace ; for if he was not justified in finessing the 
8 the first round, he certainly is not now, and A B have 
but two tricks in the suit. If the hands of C and B are 
exchanged, no harm is done by the finesse of the 8, as 
no play will yield more than two tricks. If, in this 
instance, C has the kn only, or the kn and one small, A, 
if he finesses the 8, may have his ace or k trumped, but 
it does not follow that this is a loss to A — it may be 
a gain. If the lead is from the qu, kn, 9, 7, the chances 
are more in favor of the finesse ; if from kn, 10, 9, 7 — less, 



120 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

as the play of the 8 cannot gain unless A finds B with 
the qu single, or qu and one small card. Neither can 
the play of the 8 lose, in the case just cited — (D leading 
from kn, to, 9, 7) — unless C is found with qu single, or 
singly guarded, except that B may be void of the suit, 
and the finesse subjects him to an unprofitable force. In 
plain suits or trumps, play 8, unless desirous of stopping 
the play of the suit. 




and one or more 
small. Play 



6. 



"a 

A * A 
A . A 

* 



I*. 



and one small. 




A 


if 


A . * 
A* 1 ** 

*A* 
A*A 


A 
A 



3. A 
A A 

***** 
A A 



t*A 

A 

A A 



A * 
A A 

*** 

A A 

A 

A A 



A , * 

V 

A A 


*_ 


_* 


A, A 
V 


A 


•s* 


A 


J* 


A, 


A 


* 


-I* 




*. 


A 


A 


A 


A 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 121 

Here the play by A of the io is clearly best. If the 
lead is from the first or second combination, the iowins, 
and leaves A with the perfect tenace. If the lead is from 
the kn, 9, 8, 7, the 10 holds the trick or forces the play 
of the k, and if C has k the play of the qu may lose a 
trick. A may lose a trick if the lead is from k, 9, 8, 7, if 
the kn is with C, but it is just as likely to be with B. In 
plain suits or trumps, play 10. 



4, 




3Ij 




* * 

4» , •!• 
*** 



and one small. 






N§r# 


1* * 


r* 


4. 


ffl| 








ISli 


4. 4> 


._*J 



4, 4. 
4. 4. 

4> 


4. 4> 

* 
4, 4, 

4. 4> 


*** 
4, 4. 

4.4, 

*** 

4. 4. 

4, A eji 


4. 4. 





Second hand holding ace, qu, 9 etc., the 7 led, should 
play small. If he covers the 7, and the 9 loses to either 
the k, kn or 10, the sacrifice of the 9 may lose a trick, 
and second hand has nothing to gain, except, possibly, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



when the lead is from the kn, 10, 8, 7, and fourth hand 
has the k. Suppose the following: — 





* 


4 

* 




* 


* 
4 


4- 
4. 




4- 4- 4- 4" 

4. * 

.«. .j- .j. .j- 



4. 4 4. 
4. 

4* *y| 4* 



B 



D 



* * 4* 

4,** 

*_*! _+_J 




4* 4* 4* 
4. * 

4. 4. * 




4* 

4» 


4* 4« 
4« 

+ :♦ 



1. — D leads 7; A plays 9; C plays 10; B plays 3. 

2. — C leads 6; B plays 4; D plays 8; A plays qu. 

Here the 8 forces the qu and a trick is lost for had A 
played small he would then have held over D, and he 
gains nothing if the 9 wins. Play small. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



123 




and one or more small. 



4* ~~ i 
Si 


A A 

A . A 

A*A 
A A 


*A* 

A^A 

A A 

AA 
*_L+ 

4" 

A A 


4*A A 

A ' A 

A . + 

[A_*A 


A A 

•{• .4* 

A*A 

A A 


A A* 

A * A 

A j. A 
A*A 


4* 4* 
a j. a 

A*A 
A A 



Here the case is different. A's 8 cannot make except 
on the first round, and if it loses to C no harm is done; 
if it holds the trick it is a clear gain in some situations. 
Take the following: — 

*1 



•5* "5" 

A A 
A A 



4 
4- 




4- 
* 




4- 
4- 


* 


4 
4- 



B 



D 



.+ + ** 

4* + 
I4»4»4«4« 




:• 4* 4* 4- 

4* 
4* 4* 4* 4* 



4* 4* 4* 
4* 4* 4* 



4-. A 4» 
v 

A A 

*_ 4*J 4* 



4* 4* 4* 



i 24 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 4; B plays 6. 

2 (C to lead). — C leads 5; B plays k; D plays 3; A 
plays 2. 

A B have four tricks in the suit. If A does not cover 
the 7, B must play the k, and no play will yield more 
than three tricks. Second hand holding ace, qu, 8 etc., 
7 led, should play the 8, either in plain suits or trumps. 







4* rT *.;* 




•!• » 4* 
*** 



and one or more small. 



Second hand holding ace, kn, 10 and others, 7 led, 
should play small in plain suits, in trumps the 10. The 
lead is from the k or qu and 9, 8, 7 and the 10 may lose 
and cannot gain. In trumps the leader may have both 
k and qu and the 10 should be played. 



►>* and one or more small. 



* ' 4» 

* 4 





B 




c 


A 


D 



4» 4* 




4* 4* 

4» 
4,^4. 


4- A 4= 

4»_4" 


4* 4* 

4> 
4-4- 


4. 4, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I2 5 



Second hand is in much the same position here as when 
holding the ace, qu, 9 etc. If he covers the 7, and it 
holds the trick, little, if anything, is gained. If the 9 
loses to the k or qu, he may lose a trick. In either trumps 
or plain suits, play small. 



A A 

4* 

a 4. 

4* 
+ * 



and one small. 





B 




c 


A 


D 



*4* 

4. 4. 
4* 



4» » 4* 
4- <3 ** 

t*J 

v 4* 

♦ 7* 

*"* 

*A* 
*** 


4. A 
4. 4. 

4* 4* 




A A 

A 
A A 

A A 


4. 4. 

*. * 
+** 

A A 


+ + * 

A 4. 

A A 



Second hand is in the same situation here, as when 
holding ace, qu, 8 etc., the 7 led, the play of the 8 may 



126 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



gain a clear trick and cannot possibly do any harm. Sup- 
pose this case: — 



•j. «f •j«. 



i* 



C 



* * 




* + 
* 



B 



D 



*** 




-2° -2* -2* '2-| 
.;. -j. »j. .j. 



i"i* t* *j* 

+ 

!* •*• * 



i. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 3; B plays 5. 

2 (D to lead). — D leads 9; A plays 2; C plays 4; B 
plays k. 

If B now comes through D, A B have four tricks in the 
suit. If A does not cover, no play will yield more than 
three tricks. 

If the hands of C and B are exchanged, A gains noth- 
ing by covering the 7; neither does he lose anything. 
Play the 8 in plain suits or trumps. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



127 







*.?.* 




•?• * 


* 




** * 




*** 




*** 

*** 










4. 4. 



nad one or more small. 





B 




c 


A 


D 




•JO ^» 

c?* •^ •% »J» 

4* 

4j 4» 4* 4/ 

+7* ^7* 

4> 4. 4. 4. 
4. 

4* 4 > 1 |4«__. _4j; 



|4> , 4> 4. 4. 4. 
4, ' 4. 4. 4. 
* 4. 4. 4,** 



Second hand has nothing to gain by covering the 7 
led, holding the ace, 10, 9, etc., and he may lose by the 
play. Suppose the following: — 



4, 4. 

4. 4. 

4, 4. 




•!• 4* 

4« 

4. 4. 





c 


B 
A 


D 


| 
* * * 

i 




+ 4-! 
4* 4" 




* 




14. 4.1 4. 4. I 4. 

4.^4. 4. 4. 

*.* **4- 

^*4-J \±_ *J 4» 



128 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — D leads 7; A plays 9; C plays k; B plays 5. 

2. — C leads 4; B plays 6; D plays kn; A plays ace. 

If A is now forced to lead the suit he will take no 
other trick in the suit. This would not be the case had 
he played low the first round, as then he would be left 
with the 10, 9 and must take two tricks in the suit. On 
the other hand, suppose that covering the 7 does save 
the k for partner, nothing is gained by the play. Ex- 
change the hands of C and B, and then — 

1. — D leads 7; A plays 2; C plays 5; B plays k. 

2 (C to lead). — C leads 6; B plays 3; D plays kn; A 
plays ace. 

And A B have three tricks in the suit, no matter who 
next leads the suit, and no play will do more. Play low 
in either trumps or plain suits. 



13- 



* • v 

A *"* 



V V 



and one or more small. 




I 

mm rflO 




[*A*1 *.»* I* 

V ..TV 

A^Al A 4 A A 



* *] f*A* 

A*A * * 

•^ 4* 4* * 

*~~ * |*. * 

A A V 

A*A * * 

A A A A 



With this holding second hand should cover the 7 led, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I29 



as the play cannot lose and may result in gain. It is 
quite clear that the 8 can have no trick-making value 
after the first round, for the leader must have three cards 
all higher than the 8. If the 8 is put up the first round 
it may save partner's k or qu and under certain condi- 
tions a clean trick may be gained. If the 8 falls to third 
hand, no harm is done. Play 8. 



14. 







and one small. 



Second hand should play qu. If the 10 is played and 
it wins, there is little, if any, advantage gained. If the 
to loses, a trick may be lost. There is more chance of 
the 10 making the second or third round than there is 
the first. Play queen. 




♦ 4* 

4. 4. 






+ *.+ 



* * 



and one or more 
small. Play 

and one or more 
small. Play 

and one or more 
small. Play 

and one or more small. 






I* 



i3° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 




4*** 

A* 

*** 


A , A 

a"a 
4* . A 

A A A 

*** 

A A 

4* 
*_ A 


A A 

* 
A A 

A V A 


4» - • *4» 

A ' A 

4f__x 


A A 

* 
A A 

* 

Aj^A 



*A* 

A * A 

A A 



*A* 
A V A 

A A 



4» A * 
A A 
A A 



With this combination second hand has little, if any- 
thing, to gain by covering the 7 led, and if the 9 loses to 
the ace, qu or 10 in third hand, his hand is weakened to 
no purpose, and a trick may be lost. Play low. 




A A 
A A 

A T A 




*.* 



A T A 



and one or more small. 




a , a pj. 47 

*" S '* A^A 

A A * + 

*L A A A 

4* *| 14*.* 

A A* .^A 

A A A A * 

*** 4* 4* 4* 

^ A ^~ 47 

A A A 

?*| * * 

♦ 4»| *_* 

* *| I*,* 

A A* .^A 

a a * A + 

♦ *J 4» *_ 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



131 



When the 7 is led, second hand holding k, kn, 8, etc., 
has nothing to gain by covering, if the lead is from the 
ace high combinations, as the card he may save for part- 
ner is too low in rank to be of advantage to their com- 
bined hands. No loss, however, can come from playing 
the 8. But if the lead is from the qu, 10, 9, 7, A may 
gain a clear trick by covering the 7, and cannot lose. 
For example : — 



i* 
I* 


* 


a 




i* 
\± 


* 
* 


1 

+1 








B 




c 


A 


D 




*** 

4* 
+ * 




•J* >fr * 
* * + 



1. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 5; B plays 3. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 4; D plays 9; A plays kn; C 
plays 6. 

3- — A leads 2; C renounces; B plays ace; D plays 10 
— and D has not a trick in the suit. If, on the other 



I32 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST.. 

hand, A does not cover, the 7 forces partner's ace, and 
U must make a trick. If the ace is with third hand no 
harm is done. Play 8. 



♦ , 4» 
A^A 
A, * 
"* 



I* 



* * 



and one or more small. 



B 



D 



f"jpn 


^•a* 




4. 4. 




4« 


Mifiy 


* A 




*** 






Hlra 


A** 








IpIsI 


A 4- 




* 



*** 

* 4* 

4* 

4. A 

* 
4. 4. 

4* 
A * 



4. 4> 

4» 
4. 4. 

4* 



4» 


4. 




* 


* 


4* 


* 


*A* 


* 


* 


* 


A 


1* 


A 


V 


* 


4* 


*_ 


_* 



With k, 10, 9, etc., second hand should pass the 7 led. 
When the lead is from a combination headed by the ace, 
there is nothing to be gained by covering, and loss may 
result. When the lead is from the qu, kn, 8, 7, the play 
of the 9 may gain a trick, but it may also lose a trick. 
Play low. 



r*jiL 

m|§Pi 

Biro 




4- * 

A*A 
4* 4* 




4> A 

* 

4. 4. 

4* 
A A 



and one or more small. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



*33 




*A* t *** *f* *^° 

*A* + + 

4; *_ A * 

*'* a a 

*A* ^ 

4^ 4* 4* 4^ 



When the 7 is led, and second hand holds k, 9, 8 he 
knows the ace and 10. and either qu or kn, is with the 
leader. Second hand may gain a trick under certain 
contingencies by covering the 7, and he cannot lose. 
Note the following: — 



|* 4- + 



C 



A A 
A 

A A 



A A 
A A 



A 



1) 



A A 
A. A 
A*A 
A A 


A A 
*A V 
A A 

* 

A V A 



A 



j * 


im 




•A. .3. A * 
1 * + 
»fr * * -frl 



)* 4. * 



r 34 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 6; B plays 3. 

2. (B to lead). — B leads 4; D plays 10; A plays k; C 
renounces. 

3. (D to lead) — D leads ace; A plays 2; C renounces; 
B plays 5. 

B's qu is now good and A B have three tricks in the 
suit. On the other hand, if A does not cover — 

1 — D leads 7; A plays 2; C plays 6; B plays qu. 

Now, no matter how or by whom the suit is next led 
A B can take but two tricks. The chances here for 
gain by covering are slight; but, also, no risk is run. 
Play 8. 



4. 4. 

4* * 




*** 

4, 4. 



and one or more small. 




*A* 

4. * 4. 

A j. A 
4* 4* 




*** 

4, 4. 

A 
* 4- 



4. 4, 

*j A 
+ * + 

4. 4. 




4- A 4* 
4* l 4* 
A _* 


4. 4. 

4* , * 
4,** 
4. 4. 


*a A 

4. ' 4. 

A A 


4T 4. 

A j A 
4«^4« 

4. 4. 


4, 4, 
4» 4* 



If the 7 is from either of the first two combinations, 
there is little advantage in covering the 7, except in the 
way of the information it imparts. When the lead is 
from the qu, kn, 9, 7, the 8 will save the ace — if with 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



135 



partner, if with third hand, it is no sacrifice as the 8, in 
this case, has no more value than the deuce. Play 8. 



only. 




When the 7 is led, second hand holding k, kn only, 
should play the k. The lead can be from any of ten 
combinations. In six of these the leader has the ace, 
and the k makes. In one combination the leader has no 
court card and the k will make the first round or not at 
all; for if the third hand has the major tenace he finesses 
qu; if partner has qu the k loses, but the qu and kn will 
make. So that there are seven of the ten situations in 
favor of the play of k second hand upon the 7 led; and 
in the other three, it is an even chance that the ace is 
with partner. Play k. 



24. 



tH« 




u 




4. 4. 

*** 
4. 4. 



and one or more small. 




A , A 
A~4. 

+ .«* 

*1* 


A a! 

*** 

A A 

4= 
+_+l 

A A] 

+ 




*A* 

4. • 4. 

*** 


4-.* 

V 
A A 

A A 



i3 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Second hand holding qu, kn, 9 and one or more small, 
has nothing to gain by playing the 9 upon the 7 led, and 
he may lose. Play low. 




* * 

A A 
A*A 
A A 



only. 



To the 7 led, second hand should of course play the 
9 — it must force the ace or k, or hold the trick. In 
trumps, however, play kn, as leader may have both ace 
and k. 



26, 



k'^4 




\ f 




*A* 






-' i 




A A 




iitj 




•*A 
A 4. 



and one cr more small. 




A -A 
A* 1 ** 
+ i * 
**♦. 

A~A 

A*A 




A A 

A*A 
A 4. 


A A 

*.! + 
A*A 

A A 



A A 

A 
A A 

A V A 
A A 



Second hand should play the 8, as it may save the 
ace or k for partner. If the court card is with third 
hand no harm is done. The advantages in favor of cov- 
ering the 7 are very slight, it is true, but there are no 
risks attending the play. Suppose the following: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



137 



* 

4 1 


•5* 


* 
* 




+ 

* 


* 


*l 
4. 1 



* * 



B 



A 




D 









* 



!* * * 

i * 

1+ * + 



i. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 5; B plays 3. 

Now, no matter how or by whom the suit is next led, 
D can make but the single trick. Suppose A is forced 
to continue the suit, he leads the deuce, knowing that B 
has either ace or k. But if A passes the 7, and is forced 
to lead the suit, D has the chance of two tricks, as — 

1. — D leads 7; A plays 2; C plays 5; B plays k. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads qu; C plays 6; B plays 3; D 
plays ace. 

D must now make two tricks in the suit. Suppose, 
again, that the ace and k change places in the above 
diagram, then: — 

1.— D leads 7; A plays 2; C plays 5; B plays ace. 

If A is forced to next lead the suit, D must next take 
two tricks, and, besides, he can now take the ?iext trick, 
and then force C, if he cares to, and this might be an 
advantage to his game. The play of the 8 by A insures 



138 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the first two tricks in the suit, and D's k will not make 
until the third round of the suit. These points of advan- 
tage are all gained by the cover, and no loss can possibly 
attend the play. Play 8. 




4- * 



only. 



In' plain suits it is useless to play kn, as the 8 must 
force the ace or k if against. In trumps play kn, as 
leader may have both ace and k. 



28. 



*A* 

A ' A 




A A 
•?• . A 
*** 
A A 



and one or more small. 




A , A 
A V A 

A*A 



A A A 

«?» . A 
A* A 

A A A 



*A* 




*l* 


A A 




A A 




y y 


V 


A ( A 


A^J. 




A A 




A A 



If second hand covers the 7 in this situation, he may 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



139 



lose a trick if the 9 falls to either the ace or k in C's 
hand, and if he finds the court card with B, little advan- 
tage is gained. The risk of loss is greater than the 
probability of gain. Play low. 



29. 






4- * 
•r 

4. 4. 



and one or more small. 





B 




c 


A 


D 



4.^4. 



4. 4. 




4. 4, 

4. 4. 


4. 4. 

4» 
4, 4. 

4, 4. 






4, 4. 
4».* 
*** 
4. 4. 


nr 
4. 4. 

4. 4. 



The case is different here. A's 8 cannot possibly 
make a trick, or assist in making one, if not on the first 
round, consequently no loss attends the play of the 8 
upon the 7 led. The cover maybe advantageous for the 
same reasons as pointed out in the analysis of No. 26. 
Plav 8. 



140 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



30. 



aI'a 



A A 

4* 

A A 
A V A 



and one or more small. 



B 



D 



«*• 4* 4* l •5* 

•2. A **" 

?** V 



A 'A 



A A 
A A 
A A 



When second hand holds qu, 9, 8, and one or more 
small of a suit, the 7 led, he reads at once that the 
leader must have exactly ace, kn, 10, 7, and he should, 
of course, cover the 7. The play may gain, and it cannot 
lose. Give B the k, 6, 5 and C the 4, 3 in the above 
diagram, and then: — 

1. — D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 3; B plays 5. 

It requires no argument to show that the hands of A 
and B are stronger after the first round, if A plays the 8 
than they are if he plays the deuce. Play 8. 



3i- 



A A A 
A« A 

+ A* 
A*A 




*** 

A A 
A V A 



and one or more small. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



141 





B 




c 


A 


D 



*** 

* ' 4- 
4*.* 
4**4- 



4. 4. 

4* 
+ * 



4« * 
4» , 4" 
*** 
4* 4* 




4. 4. 

4* 4* 
4. * 



The situation here is almost identical with the pre- 
ceding one. See analysis of No. 30. Play 8. 



32. 



4. 4, 
4. 4. 



4* 4> 

* 
4, 4. 

4* 
* 4* 



and one or more small. 




4. 4. 

4* •4* 
4-*4> 

4. 4. 




*** 
4. 4. 

+ 

4* 4» 




4- 



T42 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



When the 7 is led, second hand holding the kn, 9, 8 
knows the leader remains with the double tenace only, 
and that the k is to his left. In the event of B holding 
k and three small, there is an advantage in covering the 
7— if D goes on with the suit. Give B the k, 6, 5, 3, C 
the 4, and then: 

1. D leads 7; A plays 8; C plays 4; B plays 3. 

2. (D to lead.) D leads ace; A plays 2; C renounces; 
B plays 5. 

If D now leads, or if led through and finesses the 10, 
A B take three tricks in the suit. This they could not 
do, if A does not cover the 7. Even if no trick is gained 
in the suit, it embarrasses D's game, and no loss can 
result. Play 8. 



33- 






and one or more small. 





B 




c 


A 


D 



4« . 4* 



*** 
* 4* 

4* 




•I- * 

4* . 4* 
*** 
4* 4* 


4- A 4- 
4- 4* 

V 

4. 4. 

4- 4» 

4. 47 

4» 
4* * 

i4* *r 


4. 4. 
*.* 
4.** 
4. 4> 


4* 4> 
4" j. 4* 
4,*4. 

4. 4. 


4. 4. 

4* j. 4* 
4»*4- 
4. * 


4. 4. 

4. 
4, 4. 

|4* 4* 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIRT. 



M3 



When second hand holds the 10, 8 and one or more 
small, the 7 led, he cannot lose by covering with the 8. If 
the lead is from the first combination diagramed the play- 
is practically immaterial; if from the second, the play of 
the 8 may gain a trick if B has k, qu, and small; if from 
the third, the play of the 8 may save for B the major 
tenace — and end in gain ; if from the last the 8 may 
leave B with both ace and k, and gain a clear trick. 
Play 8. 

The following tables serve as a summary of the anal- 
ysis of Second-Hand play when the 7 is led as an 
original lead. 



TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. 5. 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 


CARD LED 


PLAYS 


ace, k, kn — witli or without others 

ace, k, 10 — only 


7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 


k 

IO 

9 

8 

kn 

10 
small 

8 

small * 

small 

8 
small 

8 


ace, k, 9 — only 

ace, k, 8 — only 


ace, qu, kn — and one or more small. . 

ace, qu, 10 — and one small 

ace, qu, 9 — and one or more small. . . 

ace, qu, 8 — and one or more small 

ace, kn, 10 — and one or more small.. 

ace, kn, 9 — and one or more small 

ace, kn, 8 — and one or more small. . . 

ace, 10, 9 — and one or more small 

ace, 10, 8 — -and one or more small 


* In trumps play io, 



144 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. 6. 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 


CARD LED 


PLAYS 


k, qu, 10 — with or without others 

k, qu, 9 — with or without others 

k, qu, 8 — with or without others 

k, kn, io— with or without others 

k, kn, 9— and one or more small 

k, kn, 8 — and one or more small 

k, io, 9 — and one or more small 

k, 9, 8 — and one or more small. 

k, 10, 8 — and one or more small 

k, kn — only 


7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 

7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 

7 
7 

7 


qu 
qu 
qu 

10 
small 

8 
small 

8 

8 

k 

small 

9 * 

8 

8* 
small 

8 

8 

8 
8 

8 


qu, kn, 9 — and one or more small 

qu, kn, 9 — only 


qu, kn, 8 — and one or more small 

qu, kn, 8 — only 


qu, 10, 9 — and one or more small. 

qu, 10, 8 — and one or more small 

qu, 9, 8 — and one or more small 

kn, 10, 8 — and one or more small 

kn, 9, 8 — and one or more small 

10, 8 — and one or more small 


* In trumps play kn. 



Second hand should ever be on the alert to cover the 
card led, when it may strengthen partner's hand, and not 
weaken his own. It is understood that partner will not 
read such play as a call for trumps. When second hand 
throws a card like the io or 9 upon the 8 led, or the 10, 
9 or 8 upon the 7, and afterwards plays a lower card, it 
is not a call for trumps. Usually second hand can cover 
and also call. Take — ace, 10, 9; k, 10, 9; qu, 10, 9; qu, 
9, 8; and kn, 9, 8 — second hand, for instance, wishing 
to cover the 7, and call, plays the 10 or 9, as the case 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



*45 



may be, i. <?., he covers with the higher of the two in 
sequence. If he does not wish to ask for trumps, he 
covers with the lower, and on the second round he can 
frequently play the higher of the two in sequence, and 
not the small card, as pointed out in the next illustra- 
tion — thus making the play perfectly clear. 

It is only in an exceptional distribution of a suit that 
second hand may be able to count the leader's hand 
with much accuracy, when a card of lower rank than the 
7 is led; still, he sometimes can. Suppose D leads the 
6, A, holding 9, 8, 7, 2 of the suit, should cover the 6, as 
it may save the k or qu for partner, to their mutual 
advantage. Take this case: — 



A A 
* + 




c 



* 

* + 



E 



D 






*** 



a if 

A 
if if 

if if 



A A 
"S*A~ 

A ' A 

A , A 
A A A 



A A 

if A 
A A 





^-pyt 


[*** 


[♦" 


A 


* 


n 


A ' A 
*.* 
A*A 


* 


* 
* 



If D leads the 6, A knows that the lead is from 



146 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

exactly four cards and from one of the two combinations 
given above — 

1. — D leads 6 (from ace, kn, 10, 6); A plays 7; C plays 
four; B plays 3. 

2 (D to lead). — D leads ace; A plays 8; C renounces; 
B plays 5. 

B's k and qu hold over D, and the play gains a trick, 
for if A does not cover, the 6 costs partner's qu. Note 
that A, in the second round, plays the 8, and not the 
deuce, so that B may be relieved of any doubt about A 
calling. Had A wished to ask for trumps he would have 
covered with the 8 and on the second round of the suit 
thrown the 7. Note, also, that B cannot be in doubt as 
to the location of the deuce, as it must be with A, for D 
has shown four cards only in the suit. 

Second hand can often cover the lead the second 
round of the suit to great advantage, as will be pointed 
out further on, and not infrequently on the third round, 
second hand can save or lose a trick by covering or not 
covering, as the situation demands. 

In trumps the card turned may very often direct 
second hand to a successful finesse or a judicious cover. 
These are the clever little points that the careful player 
does not miss, and the careless player rarely takes advan- 
tage of. For example, if C has the 8 turned, and D 
leads the 7, the latter has the rank of the 8 as a fourth- 
best card, as far as D's hand is concerned, and A, second 
hand, will play accordingly. Suppose the following : — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



147 



* 


1 




* 


* * * 
4. 4. * 



A A 



4. A 

* 

A A 





B 




c 


A 


1 




A' 

A A 

+ + 



*! 


""l "'"''' 


; * X^ 




!• * * * 
* * * * 




* 
* 


* * 
* 

+ + 




1* 
It 


* 

* 



This is the trump suit, C turning the 9 D has called, 
but getting in before C, leads them: 

1. — D leads 7. Now, if A cares to stop the lead of 
trumps, he plays the kn, with the assurance that the kn 
will win, as he can read the ace, qu with D. 



Exceptional Hands. 



Exceptional situations and hands have been referred 
to, and the student has been assured that in such posi- 
tions he must exercise his own ingenuity, and not follow 



148 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the " book play," unless it fits the case. Here is an 
example of an exceptional hand. C's Hand: 




s? 














<9 

9 










C?^ 




9 


9 








is 




0^0 












Diamonds trumps. A leads the 2 c; the usual play 
for C is the qu, holding k, qu, and small, but with this 
hand C should play the 3. If D wins the trick, so much 
the better; if it falls to B, C must still profit by it (most 
likely), for B must then open up a suit to C's immediate 
gain, he holding tenaces in all the suits. Again, suppose 
that A had opened with the 3 of diamonds, trump; C 
would have departed from rule, and played the 3, not 
the 10. 

Covering second hand holding a fourchette, is a rule 
you might suppose should never be departed from, yet 
even in this case you may find it expedient to pass. For 
example, A leads trumps from kn, 6, 3, to protect two 
great suits developed by the play; C holds k, qu, 10, 2 
in trumps, and having a great suit besides, does not 
object to having trumps come out — throws the deuce; B 
holding 8, 7, 5, 4 plays the 5; D, with the ace, 9 wins 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



149 



the trick and opens, with a strengthening card, the suit 
that must be C's — C wins the trick, draws the trumps, 
and brings in his great suit; had he covered the kn, he 
might have ruined his game. Again: A may lead trumps 
early in the hand from k, qu, kn; C holding ace, 10, 3, 2, 
and one great suit, may pass the k and qu, and by the 
play draw all the trumps, although B has the 9 and three 
others — and a great game results. 

The Second Round of a Suit. 

In the second round of a suit you must be careful to 
play the proper card. The good general rule — " In the 
second round of a suit if you have the winning card, 
generally put it on second hand " — should usually be 
followed, but owing to the improved order of leads, 
second hand can frequently count the leader's hand, and 
finesse accordingly. The fall to the first round may 
enable you to place the cards. Suppose the following: — 



+ + * 




a a 



a a 



* * 





B 




c 


A 


D 



^A 






i+ 

1 

!+ 


* 


+ 




1+ 

1 




1 



4> A 

4* 

A A 
A A 



*5° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



First round. — A leads ace; C plays 3; B plays 4; D 
plays 2. 

Second Round. — A leads 9; C plays kn, and not the 
k for he can count A's hand. Again: — 




First Round.— A leads ace; C plays 2; B plays 4; D 
plays 9. 

Second Round. — A leads 7; C plays 8; B plays 5; D 
plays 6. 

C plays the 8 here, even though he has tivo sure win- 
ning cards in the suit. In this instance he can count 
the cards in A's hand by his partner playing the 9, call- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



151 



ing. C. simply follows the rule, for he has in fact three 
winning cards and throws the lowest of the three. The 
careless player second hand, on the second and third 
rounds of a suit loses many a trick. In such a situation 
as this, A would have been justified in going on with the 
three, for the purpose of not giving C the certain finesse. 
Here is another example: — 




First Round. — A leads ace; C plays 5; B plays 10; D 
plays 9. 

Suppose A leads the suit, again following with the 
fourth-best, C can count the cards, although the card is 



152 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



as low as the 4, and he just covers with the 6, knowing 
that it is just as good as the qu and thus keeps control 
of the suit. A, here, should of course depart from rule, 
and lead the 3 — not the 4. On the other hand, C can 
often save a master card for D by covering second round 
with a third or fourth-best card. Take this case: — 



* 


* 




4- 


4- 
4- 




4- 4-4- 4* 

4* 4* 

4-4-4-4- 



A A 
A A 
A V A 



*A* 
A^A 

A A 



A A 



A A 

* 

A A 





B 




c 


A 


D 



!4* 4- 4» 
1+ 4* 4- 



First Round. — A leads 3; C plays 2 B; plays kn; D 
plays qu. 

Second Round (A to lead). — A leads 5; C plays 10; B 
plays 7; D plays 6. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



153 



If C throws the 4, the 7 in B's hand forces the ace and 
a trick is thrown away. Sometimes you can count the 
cards so that you finesse the second round, against a 
possible card. This is often justifiable. Suppose the 
following: — 



* 


* 


1 
+1 








*i 
*! 




* + + *| 




1 

+ ! 



A, A. 



A, A, 



B 




4. 4. 
4. 4. 

A, 4. 



D 



* * 



1 4* >$•»$• 4* 



First Round. — A leads 5; C plays 3; B plays kn; D 
plays qu. 

C can do some counting here; B cannot have the 10 as 
he would have played it, if not calling, and he notes this 
inference for use further on. 

Second Round (say A leads the suit again), A leads 6; 



154 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

C plays 4; B plays 7; D plays 10. C holds up both ace 
and 9 — thus keeping control of the suit and if D now 
leads through A, he (A) cannot make a trick in the suit. 
C would play badly to throw either the ace or 9, for when 
A followed with the 6, the 10 was at once marked with 
D; it could not be with A unless he opened the suit with 
the 10 high as with k, 10, 6, A would have gone on with 
the 10 thus forcing the play of the ace. 

Examples without number could be given illustrating 
the necessity for careful work by second hand the second 
round of a suit, but the foregoing will suffice. 

You must consider the rank of the card led. The 
deuce, for instance, proclaims a suit of exactly four, and 
there is, therefore, a greater probability of the suit going 
three times, and you may finesse accordingly. If a 
higher card is led the leader may have five, six, or more. 
You must remember the card turned, its rank and posi- 
tion to you. An eye must also be on the score, for you 
will hazard a finesse, that you would otherwise not make, 
when the game is desperate. After trumps have been 
declared against you, you are at once put upon the de- 
fense, and you play to keep command of your opponent's 
suits as long as practicable. If the trumps are evidently 
with you, your play is the more aggressive. 

Late in hand you must be on the alert for forced leads 
and coups. For instance, k led after trumps are out, may 
be the Deschapelles coup, from four or more small ones, 
for the purpose of forcing the ace at once, that the pos- 
sible qu in third hand may be good. If you suspect this 
coup do not part with the ace the first round as you may 
in this way defeat it. 

With four cards only in hand, you holding the best 
and third-best trump against the second and fourth-best, 
you should throw the highest of any two cards of a plain 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



155 



suit led. You cannot lose by the play and may gain a 
trick. For example: — 



£> E> E> 

E> £> | 

P- £> £>| 






1* 






V 77 ( 



A A Ngb A A " ' * A 

A * A - A ^ A 

a\aJ A a| AAA 



c 



I) 



V 


5> 




9 


<5 


<r> 


<J> 






7 


^ 


<? 




V 


- V 


<5P 


<S> 




v? 


9 






♦ * -> * 



This is a typical case. Hearts, trumps, were first led 
by A, and the 9, 7 are marked in his hand. Spades have 
not been led. 

1. — A leads ace s; C plays k; B plays 3; D plays 7. 

C properly throws the king, for if A has the qu, C can- 
not by any play make more than two tricks, and if C 
finds the qu of spades with D, he gains a clear trick by 
the play. As the cards happen to lie C will make only 
the two trump tricks, had he played the 4 s, he would 
have made one spade trick and lost a trump trick. If, 
however, we give D the qu s, then D makes a trick in 
spades and C makes both his trump tricks. This cannot 
be done if C retains the k s. 



156 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Second Hand Renouncing;. 



When second hand has none of the suit led, he has 
choice of two things — trump or discard. The situation 
is always worthy of due deliberation. Every phase of 
the position should be duly weighed before you elect to 
do either. If it is early in the hand, and the card led is 
a doubtful one — one your partner may win if you pass — 
you should not trump unless you are wretchedly weak or 
very strong — strong enough to take the force and lead 
trumps. If you trump the doubtful card, partner reads 
your hand as very weak. If you discard, you select 
your weakest suit, taking care not to blank an ace, un- 
guard a court card, or even to throw a singleton — you 
may need the singleton later on to give to partner, in 
the event of it being of the same suit as your partner's 
great one. 

You will, as a rule, trump a doubtful card if you hold 
but two or three small trumps, for in this event your 
trumps cannot be put to better use; if partner has the 
master card of the suit led, he will not play it (unless his 
only one), and it may make later on. But if you have 
three trumps that seem best not to break — for instance, 
kn, 10 and small, or qu, kn, and small, or three good ones 
like k, qu, kn — pass as a rule. The old rule of — " with 
three trumps, trump freely," should be subject to the 
qualifications just named; and passing a doubtful card 
does not necessarily imply four trumps. If, however, 
the card led is a sure winner, you should in such cases 
generally trump. If you pass, you issue a peremptory 
demand for trumps, and partner will get in at any hazard 
and give them to you. You are sometimes justified in 
refusing to trump, even a winning card, if you have four 
fair trumps and a great suit, with a card of reentry in 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 157 

the third suit, and especially if partner is likely to be 
able to trump the next round if the suit is continued. If 
you have but three trumps, trump the winning card; if 
four trumps and a weak hand also trump; if with four 
trumps and a good hand besides, you may pass; but not 
if the leader is marked with other winning cards — sure 
to follow, as in such cases it is best to take the first 
force. If you have six trumps, or five and a fair hand, 
trump the winning card and lead trumps. If a card is 
led later on in the play, and you have none of the suit, 
you usually have some data from the previous fall of 
the cards to direct you. For instance, if partner has 
shown strength in trumps, you trump and lead trumps; 
if the adversaries have shown strength in trumps and 
you are too weak to offer any practical resistance, you 
trump unhesitatingly. 

The Play of the Second Hand when the Lead is Forced. 

The examination of the play of the second hand has 
thus far assumed that the leads were normal, original 
leads from strong suits. When a lead can be identified 
as a forced or strengthening one, the conditions are 
materially changed. Good whist perception will often 
enable the second hand to determine that a lead is 
forced or led to the inferentially strong suit of third 
hand. 

The student may be told that if the qu is led, second 
hand holding king, knave, etc., or king, 10, etc , knows 
the lead is not regular. Likewise king or queen, etc., 
knave led; king or knave, etc., 10 led; ace or 10, etc., 
9 led. An 8 led, for example, second hand holding ace 
and 9; 10 and 9; ace, king, 9; ace, qu, 9; ace, king, 10; 
ace, kn, 9; king, 10, 9; or any three cards higher than 
the 8, headed by the queen or knave, knows that the 



i58 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



lead is forced, and must play accordingly. Take the 
case of second hand holding the ace, k, 9, and one or 
more small, the 8 led; if you play the 9, thinking the 9 
must win — you holding three cards higher than the 8 — 
you defer to the third round the bringing home of the 
ace, and a trick may be lost in the event of your 9 losing 
to third hand. The argument applies to the lead of a 
smaller card, second hand holding such cards as render 
it impossible for the lead to be normal. 

Forced, irregular, and strengthening leads are much 
more frequent in trumps than in plain suits, and a trick 
is often made or lost by covering or passing, as the case 
may be. In trumps much depends upon whether the 
lead is in answer to a call, and in plain suits whether the 
lead is for the benefit of third hand's assumed strong 
suit, or a purely forced one. When second hand holds 
a fourchette — a high card led — he knows the lead is 
irregular, and he should nearly always cover. Below 
will be found a few examples in second-hand play to 
forced leads of the queen and knave. 

TABLE OF SECOND-HAND PLAY, NO. 7. 
(FORCED LEADS.) 



SECOND HAND HOLDING 



k, 10, 9 — with our without others 

k, 10 — and two small 

k, 10 — one small 

k, 1 o — only 

k, 10, 9 — without or with others. 

k, 10 — and one or two small 

k, 1 o — only 

qu, 9 — only 

qu — and one small 



CARD LED 


PLAYS 


qu 


k(a) 


qu 


small (b) 


qu 


k(c) 


qu 


k 


kn 


k 


kn 


small (d) 


kn 


k 


kn 


qu 


kn 


qu (e) 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 159 

(a) If second hand passes and third hand holds ace, knave and 
others, he will not take a trick; if he covers, he must make the 10 
good. 

(b) Play small to qu. If kn follows qu, play k; if a small card, 
play small. 

(c) If the k wins, and on the second round of the suit the 9 is 
led through, play 10; if a smaller card than the 9, play small. 

(d) If kn wins, play 10 to second round. In trumps when kn is 
led in response to call, second hand holding k, 10 and one small 
should cover the kn. 

(e) In trumps play small unless the kn is led in response to call, 
when play qu. 



160 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THIRD HAND. 



Until within the last decade the analysis of the play 
of third hand was very inadequate and unsatisfactory. 
The books dismissed the subject almost with the single 
line — " generally play your highest card third hand." 
The new order for leads from high-card sequences to- 
gether with the fourth-best principle revolutionized the 
game, and rendered obsolete, to a great extent, the text- 
books of the day. 

The Unblocking Game. 

The play of third hand with reference to unblocking 
in partner's strong suit will first be examined. By orig- 
inal lead is meant the first lead of the hand, and it will be 
assumed that the lead is from strength, i. e., the lead is 
from a suit of four or more cards. Plain suits will first 
be considered; and it is taken for granted that the card 
selected as original lead is the one prescribed as con- 
ventional in the Table of High-Card Leads. (See 
page 70.) 

Unblocking on the First Round. 

This feature of third hand play is of the utmost im- 
portance, and its object is twofold. First: You prepare, 
under certain conditions, to unblock on the first round 
of the suit. Second: You enable partner to count the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. l6l 

hands. The general rules laid down to meet the play of 
third hand in this regard are as follows: — 

i. — When the ace, queen, knave, ten or nine is led, as 
an original lead, third hand, not making an effort to 
take the trick and holding exactly four cards of the suit, 
retains his lowest card — playing his third-best. 

2. — To the second round of the suit, third hand having 
played his third-best card to the first round, and again 
not attempting to win the trick, plays his second-best — 
or middle card. 

This is to avoid calling by the play; besides, if B 
throws his lowest card to the second round, he might as 
well have played it to the first, as the second play vitiates 
any advantage that might ensue from the first. 

3. — Third hand having played his third-best card to 
the first trick, and later in play returning the suit, plays 
his highest card, even though he holds three cards at the 
time. 

This is an exception to the general rule of returning 
the lowest of three cards. 

4. — Third hand having played his third-best card to 
the first trick, subsequently discarding from the suit, 
discards the middle or second-best card, unless at the 
time he desires to call for trumps. 

5. — Third hand wishing to call, and at the same time 
unblock, plays first his second-best, and then his third- 
best card. 

For example — A leads queen; B holding 10, 8, 6, 4, 
plays first the 8 and then the 6, and has called, still re- 
taining his lowest card with which to avoid blocking the 
suit. 

The advantages of the unblocking game are manifold, 
and too much attention cannot be given to this feature 
of third-hand play. The following are examples illustrat- 



162 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



ing the application of the foregoing rules. These illustra- 
tions apply with particular force to the original lead, as 
it is then assumed that the leader has four or more cards 
in the suit, and has led from strength. 



Third Hand Holding Exactly Four Cards. 




•f< •&■ •£• 



c 






_+ 



B 



D 



*.* 



4. jj. 






'I* *♦* "♦* "»* ■ 

4.^.4.4.] 



•»• •!• ■!♦ ♦ 

j« >». j. 4. 



•5- * 



1. — A leads ace; C plays 3; B plays 8; D plays 9. 

B holding exactly four cards of the suit plays his 
third-best card, retaining the lowest. A marks that the 
deuce has not come out in this round, and reads at once 
the probability that B is unblocking, and consequently 
has four in suit. If no one is calling, A knows that B is 
unblocking. 

2, — A leads k; C plays 4; B plays kn; D plays 10. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 163 

B plays his second-best card. Note the result. No 
one has called and the deuce has not fallen; this enables 
A to count the hands and place the remaining cards of 
the suit. A knows that B has unblocked and must have 
held originally four cards of the suit. Eight cards have 
fallen, A has yet three, B must have the queen, 2, and 
the suit is established. Aside from the information im- 
parted by the play, which is very valuable, B is now in a 
position not to block A's suit, for when the suit is played 
again, B will play the queen, and have the 2 to give 
back, and, barring trumps, A will make his small card. 
If B has to discard from this suit he discards the queen 
or he undoes all that he started in to do, and might as 
well, so far as unblocking is concerned, have played first 
the 2 and then the 8, thus irretrievably blocking the 
suit. Note that if B does not prepare to unblock on the 
very first round he is helpless, and blocks the suit no 
matter how he afterwards plays, if A goes on with the 
suit. 

Suppose in the example just given, that C holds but 
the trey, giving D the 10, 9, 4, then: — 

1. — A leads ace; C plays 3; B plays 8; D plays 4. 

2. — A leads k; C trumps; B plays kn; D plays 9. 

B must play knave just as if C had followed suit. B 
cannot lose by the play, for D can have but two more of 
the suit, one of which will fall, and B's queen will draw 
D's last card. But mark that B will now not discard 
from this suit — if possible to avoid it, — and if he does, 
he will throw the deuce, as there is nothing to show B 
that A has the 10. B knows, however, that if A led from 
5 only that D has the 10. It follows that the leader 
must always bear in mind that partner may be getting 
rid of command, and he must not draw the inference that 
partner is short of the suit; or that he is calling, simply 



164 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



because he plays a high card the first round; or that he 
is void of the suit because he plays a very high card the 
second round. 

The object of the unblocking game being to show four 
cards in the suit as well as to unblock, third hand fol- 
lows the rule even when he cannot possibly get out of 
the way. Take this case: — 



* ' + 



I* 



.J. «?. 

*** 

4" •?• 


*+* 

*3* 





B 




c 




D 




A 





■£• «2» •£• «j» 



* -J- >!« 

* 

* * * 



1. — A leads ace; C plays 5; B plays 9; D plays 7. 

Here B's cards are in sequence and no play will un- 
block, but B follows the rule simply as a matter of in- 
formation, for the fall may inform A of his holding. 

2. — A leads k ; C plays kn; B plays 10; D renounces. 

A's suit is blocked, but A can read B with the queen, 
8, and this he could not have done had B played the 8 
to the first round. The 8 not falling is marked with B, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I6 5 



consequently the queen also, and this information may- 
be of value to A. Again: — 



* * 

4. 4. 


4. 4. 
+ _+ 


4- 
4. 

4. 


4« 
4. 




1. — A leads ace; C plays 8; B plays 3; D plays 5. 

It is evident that B cannot block no matter how he 
plays; but B retains his lowest card that A may count 
the hands. A notes that the 2 has not fallen and reads 
at once the probability that B has four of the suit. 

2. — A leads qu; C plays 9; B plays 4; D plays k. 

A can now read the hands; B has the deuce and either 
the 6 or 10, and the suit is established. If B had played 
first the 2, then 3, A could not place the suit, for then D 
might have the 10, 6 yet in hand. In this event A would 
not have command, which might make a material differ- 
ence in A's subsequent play. The leader should closely 
watch the fall of the small cards, for if after the second 



i66 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



round a smaller card than those played is missing, the 
leader knows — if he has not the card himself — that part- 
ner has exactly two cards of the suit yet in hand — one 
higher and one lower than the two played. There is a 
bare possibility of one of the opponents beginning a call 
on the first round, and abandoning it on the second, but 
this is a contingency hardly worth considering. 

Third hand may be forced to abandon his unblocking 
tactics on the third round, for instance: — 



A Ss^| 


A A 




A , 4* 




* 


IS 


*A* 
*** 




A A 




A 


"WM 


[a_ A 




+ _ + 




[_* J 



* * * * 




ii 



D 



A 



* 




A A 
V A~ 
AA 

A 
+ * 




A A 
A A 
A A 




A A 
A 

A A 




* 
A 



i. — A leads ace; C plays 4; B plays 7; D trumps. 

Now, if B next leads the suit, he leads the kn, not the 
3. When B plays his third-best card to the first round, 
he must return the highest of his three remaining cards, 
if he next leads the suit. 

2 (C to lead). — C leads k; B plays 9; D discards; A 
plays 2. 

3. — C leads qu; B plays 3; D discards; A plays 5. 

B here abandons his unblocking play, for he cannot 
read A's cards, and if he throws the kn, he makes the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



167 



10 good if with C. B has not called for trumps, and the 
play informs A that B has the kn, for if B held the 10 
and not the kn, he would have thrown the 10, as in this 
case the 10 would have been of no more value than the 
3. The 3 falling from B informs A that B had four 
originally, and that he had abandoned his unblocking 
play. It will frequently occur that B is compelled to 
play his lowest card the third round of the suit, having 
played his third-best on the first round, and his middle 
card to the second round; but the play cannot be a call, 
for if B wishes to call and at the same time unblock, he 
reverses the order of his first and second play by playing 
his second-best card to the first round. For instance: — 



4. 4» 

*** 

t-i-t 


4. 4. 
* * 


* 
4. 

+ 


* 

* 










J 


B 




^jj|| 


c 


J 


\ 


jj 


!*• * *i 



L 




4. 4. 



4. 4* 
* 



1. — A leads ace; C plays 4; B plays 9; D plays 6. 

2. — A leads 7; C plays k; B plays 3; D plays kn. 

The play is very informatory. A knows that B has 
called and is unblocking, for the deuce must be with B, 
and the 10 also; for if B held only 9, 3, 2 originally in 
the suit, he would have played the 3, and then the 2. 



i68 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



To the ace led B should not attempt to call and un- 
block, if at any great sacrifice of strength, for by such 
play he may give up control of the suit, losing a trick, 
even if C and D follow suit to the ace. Take this 
instance: — 




+ * +\ 

•i 1 + 4! 



B 



D 



A 






4> 


* A 

*A* 

A A 


*** 

A A 

A 
A A 


A^A 
A A 


A A 

A 

A A 



i. — A leads ace; C plays 6; B plays kn; D plays 4. 

Here, B should have abandoned the call or the un- 
blocking play. He should have read that unless A holds 
k or 10 a trick may be lost by sacrificing the kn. 

2. — A leads 7; C discards; B plays qu ; D plays k — 
D's 10 is good. 

Third hand holding k, qu, or qu, kn, and two small 
cards, should not attempt to call and unblock to the ace 
led. The call is of very little consequence in such cases. 
With k, qu, and two small it would be folly to play qu to 
ace led, for B must get in the next round — barring 
trumps, — and to play the qu would not only endanger the 
loss of a trick in the suit, but it would be publishing in- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



169 



formation of a detrimental character. If B drops the 
qu on the ace, A may change the suit to disadvantage, 
or if he goes on with the suit, C may trump if void — 
giving B the possible king, when he might have other- 
wise passed had B played small, trusting the trick to D. 
Calling third hand, often interferes with the best play, 
as it also does with good second hand play, and the best 
players rarely use the trump signal under such circum- 
stances. Good players lead trumps without waiting for 
this signal, when the situation demands a trump lead. 

When to the ace led, C drops a tolerably high card, 
indicating the probability of it being his only card, B 
should not attempt, for two reasons, to call and unblock, 
if at any sacrifice : I. — He may lose a trick in the 
suit. II. — If D suspects a call, he may force C if the 
opportunity offers, when, if B had not called, D might 
not have done so. Suppose this case: — 



mm *^* * 

\f3as|y 4» . 4* 

SWH A *»*A A A 





B 




c 




D 




A 





* 


+ + * 

4* 




* 




* 
* 



4* 


*** 

A A 

4* 


4> . 4* 
4* 4* 

|4* oj» 


4- * 
* + 
4* 4- 


* 4« 
* 

A A 



170 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — A leads ace; C plays kn; B plays 10; D plays 4. 

The 10 by B is bad; C must be short in the suit, and 
if D has the k, 9, a trick is lost. 

2. — A leads 6; C discards; B plays qu; D plays k. 

A can read that B is calling and that he has the 3, 2, 
but D's 9 is now good. Then, suppose that D had not 
the 9, but a losing card instead, he would force C at once, 
if he, too, suspected that B was calling. The play of 
third hand in detail now follows. 



Ace Led Originally. 

A leading ace, B holding a?iy four cards [exactly) of 
the suit, plays his third-best card. 

B retains his lowest card irrespective of the play of C. 
The probability of loss occurring, if C discards or trumps 
the first round, is so remote that it is hardly worth con- 
sidering. B cannot possibly lose, except when A opens 
from a suit of exactly five cards, and the small cards with 
the ace must all be very small ones. Even in this event 
B can abandon his tactics, in the majority of cases, with- 
out any risk of A reading the play as a call. It is only 
in exceptional cases that the leader, with ace and four 
very small cards, will open with the ace. With ace, 7,5, 
3, 2, for example, the fourth-best and not the ace will 
nearly always be led. It is possible for the cards to lie 
so that B may lose a trick by unblocking on the first 
round, if C or D is void of the suit; but the distribution 
of the suit and the subsequent play must be so excep- 
tional, to bring it about, that it is not worth while to bur- 
den the rules applying to the unblocking game with this 
qualification. In the great majority of cases no loss will 
result from B unblocking when C renounces, and the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



171 



advantages resulting from the play far outweigh the loss 
that may under exceptional conditions occur. Here is 
an example illustrating how B may lose a trick by un- 
blocking, when C renounces to the ace: — 






B 




c 


A 


D 




* 


* * 

*** 

* * 


* * 

* * 
4, * 


* 

* * 


* * 

* * 



1. — A leads ace; C trumps; B plays. 3; D plays 7. 

2 (D to lead). — D leads 8; A plays 4; C trumps; B 
plays qu. 

If B does not play qu, he calls for trumps. But note 
that D may here deem it best to throw the deuce, thus 
calling for trumps, even though he originally did not in- 



172 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



tend to ask for them. Or he may be sure of winning the 
next thing led by C and then not leading trumps, in the 
face of the ruff, A would take the cue that C was not 
calling, but had abandoned his unblocking game. So 
there are more ways than one for B to escape loss even 
though it is liable to occur. 

3 (D to lead). — D leads 10; A plays 5; C discards; B 
plays k. 

D's knave is now good. But mark that if A's second- 
best card is the 10, no loss can result, even if B sacrifices 
the queen. A's cards with the ace must all be smaller 
than the 10 in order for B to lose, and, on the other side, 
B's second-best card must be the 10 or a court card, or 
no loss results from the sacrifice. As: — 



M& a. 


*&* 


+ 


A 


A 


m 


A*A 


,,8. 

A 


A 


A 

A 



A A 



A A 

A 
A A 



1) 



A A 




►J. 

-J« -j. -j. a 



A A A 
A A ^J. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. I 73 

i. — A leads ace; C trumps; B plays 6; D plays 7. 

2 (D to lead). — D leads k; A plays 2; C discards; B 
plays 10. 

Note that if B gets in after trick 1, and does not lead 
trumps, he is not calling, and could then safely play the 
trey, and not the 10, to the second round of this suit; or 
if he next leads the suit, he leads the queen, and to the 
third round plays the trey — not calling. So, also, if A 
next leads the suit, and C passes, and B puts up the 
queen, no loss results. 

3 (D to lead). — D leads 9; A plays 4; C discards; B 
plays qu. 

And D's knave is good. Note, again, that if the 9 and 
8 change places no loss is possible, for then A covers, if 
D leads the 8, and B throws the 3 and has not called, 
and if D leads the kn, B wins, and A's 9 is good. The 
conditions are about the same if D is the one who is 
void. From these illustrations it will be seen how remote 
is the chance for loss by B unblocking to the ace led, 
even when C is void. When all follow suit to the ace 
B cannot lose, no matter how high a card he sacrifices 
upon the second round, nor how small A's small cards 
may be; but B may very often be forced to forego his 
unblocking tactics on the third round, as will be pointed 
out further on. 



Ace Led, Followed by King. 

When the ace is led, followed by king, the queen is 
denied; and if the king is not led, it is not with leader. 
King led, after ace, shows at least three cards smaller 
than the queen, and third hand plays accordingly, and 
also subject to the fall. For example: 



'74 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



4- •?- ♦*" 4- 



* * 4- 4 




- !C 




B 



A 



*** 

4* 4* 

4> 
4 4 



*A* 



4. 4. 



I) 



* * * * 
'4» 4» 4» * 



* + * * 

* * 4 
4 4 4> + 



4 4 



i. — A leads ace; C plays 9; B plays 2; D plays 10. 

2. — A leads k; C plays kn; B plays qu; D trumps. 

B here throws the queen, that A's suit may not be 
blocked. C can have no more, and D, even if calling, 
can have but one more. Had C and D played small 
cards, B must have played the 3 to the second round, as 
he then could not have read that A must have led from 
six at least. Had B held four cards — say the queen, 10, 
3, 2 — he would have played first the 3 and then 10, irre- 
spective of the fall, simply to have informed A that he 
held the queen, 2 yet in hand. 



Ace Led, Followed by Queen. 

When the qu follows the ace, the king and 10 are 
denied, and the knave and one small card only remain. 
B, with king and two small cards — originally — plays 
small to the queen, as — if he throws the k — the 10, which 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



175 



is surely against, will make if doubly guarded. B, hold- 
ing any four cards, retains his lowest card, and while he 
knows, as soon as A follows with the qu, that he cannot 
block the suit, yet he may abandon the unblocking play 
simply to enable A to read his hand. Take this case: — 






■?• •?• |4* , 4*1 [•& 4^ 

4» 4* v 

•j.** 4* 4* 4* 4* 

* *] [4* 4* 4* 4* 





c 


B 
A 


D 


* +1 


■fslflli) 






'* 



* + * 



1. — A leads ace; C plays 5; B plays 7; D plays 2. 

2. — A leads qu; C plays k; B plays 9; D plays 3. 

3 (A to lead). — A leads kn; C discards or trumps; B 
plays 6; D plays 4. 

Here B knows that he cannot lose by throwing the 10, 
for he knows that D's only card of the suit must fall, 
but A cannot so read; if B plays the 10, then, so far as 
A can read, D may have the 6. B playing the 6, marked 
him with the 10, and note also, that had B played the 6, 
then 7, then 9, A could not locate the 10. It must not 
be forgotten that when B plays a higher card on the 



176 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



second round than he did on the first, and afterwards 
throws a smaller card than the one first played, he is not 
calling. 

Ace Led, Followed by Knave. 

When the knave follows the ace, the queen and at least 
two small cards — including the 10 as a small card — are 
proclaimed. 

B, holding king and two small cards — originally — plays 
his king to the knave if C follows suit, but if C discards 
or trumps, B plays small to the knave as the 10 guarded 
may be with D. 

B, holding king and three small cards, plays his third- 
best card to the ace, his middle card to the knave. It 
is incumbent upon A to so play, at trick three, that he 
does not force B to abandon his unblocking play. Be- 
sides, it may happen that B's smallest card is of higher 
rank than A's largest small card, in which case A may be 
at fault. Take this case: — 



A A 
* 



A A 



B 



C 



A A 
* 



D 



A A 

a * * *! 




* A A * 
.». .j. .«. -J. 



* 


A 


A 


A 


A 


A 




* 




A 


A 




A 




MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 177 

i. — A leads ace; C trumps; B plays 7; D plays 4. 

Now, suppose that trumps come out, and A goes on 
with the suit. 

2. — A leads kn; C discards; B plays 8; D plays 6. 

3. — A leads qu; C discards; B plays 5; D plays 9. 

Here, A by bad play forces B to block his suit no mat- 
ter how he plays. After the second round, B was marked 
with the k, 5, and A should have led the small card 
(trick 3), and given B the opportunity to clear. 

Take the position diagramed, giving C the 4, and 
then — 

1. — A leads ace; C plays 4; B plays 7; D plays 6. 

2. A leads kn; C trumps; B plays 8; D plays 9. 

3 (D to lead). — D leads 10; A plays 2; C trumps; B 
plays k. 

B would play badly if he should throw the 5. A is 
marked with the queen and trey, and the play cannot 
possibly deceive A, for when to the second round the 5 
did not fall, A gives it to B. Suppose again that at trick 
3, D opens a suit of which B is void, and A wins the trick, 
B, if he discards from this suit, throws the king. B 
should ever be on the alert to get rid of command of A's 
suit by discard, when practicable. When the ace and 
knave win, all following suit, it is certain — barring un- 
usual finesse, or rather holding up — that B has king and 
one small, and the subsequent discard of the king by B 
simply confirms this inference. 

Ace Led, Followed by Ten. 

When the 10 follows the ace, the leader remains with 
exactly queen, knave. 

With king and two small cards, B plays small to ace, 
and king to 10, irrespective of C's play. 



178 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

With king and three small cards, B plays third-best, 
then his middle card, and is marked with king and one 
other. 

With more than four cards, B plays low. A must ever 
remember that B is not necessarily void of the suit, or 
signaling because he throws a high card the second or 
third rounds of a suit. When A, for example, leads ace 
then knave, he says to B, "I am long in the suit — five at 
least — do not block me," and A should not be deceived 
if B follows instructions. 

Ace Led, Followed by Nine. 

When the 9 follows the ace, the leader has the 10, and 
either the queen or knave and at least five in suit origi- 
nally. 

With king and any number of others, B must put the 
king on the 9, as queen or knave is against. 

With queen and two small cards, B plays small to ace, 
and the queen to the 9, that he may not block the suit; 
the 9 will force the king, and A is left with knave, 10 
and a small card. When B so plays, he may or may not 
have another card; the only positive inference A can 
draw is that B. cannot have two more cards of the suit. 
When the leader opens with ace and follows with a card 
like the 9, 8, or 7 — cards which readily enable B to read 
A's remaining cards, and B throws a high card to the 
second round, even though C has trumped or played 
a higher card, A must not jump at the conclusion that 
B has no more; for he may be acting upon the informa- 
tion A has published by his second lead, and is getting 
rid of command. A selects for his second lead his orig- 
inal fourth-best, for the very purpose that B may count 
his hand and if practicable get out of the way. Few 
players sitting second and third hand, take full advan- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



179 



tage of the information afforded by the play of the orig- 
inal fourth-best card, the second round of the suit by the 
leader. And it follows that if B does not and C does, 
that A would be better off if he withheld the informa- 
tion. 

Ace Led, Followed by a Lower Card than the Nine. 

When a low card follows the ace, the leader has two 
cards higher than the one selected for the second lead, 
and one or more smaller. 

B, with more or less than four cards, plays his smallest 
card to the ace, if he does not wish to call; and his play 
to the second lead of the fourth-best is modified by the 
fall. With any three cards B should always be on the 
alert to get rid of the command on the second round, if 
the fall demonstrates that it is practicable. For in- 
stance: — 




A 




"''A* 

* " * 

*** 




*A* 

A ' A 

A A 




* 


A 




A A 

A 
A A 




A A 
A A 




4° 
A 



l8o MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — A leads ace; C plays 8; B plays 2; D plays kn. 

2. — A leads 6; C trumps — 

B can do some counting here, and should throw the 
queen. A must have two cards higher than the 6; they 
cannot be the k, 7 for in this case A would have gone on 
with the king, consequently they must be the 10, 7. D, 
even if calling, which is unlikely, can have but the king 
and one small, and if D is not calling his king must fall, 
and A's suit is cleared. 

Third hand having played his third-best card the first 
round, holding exactly four cards of the leader's suit, 
must be precise in the subsequent handling of his three 
remaining cards. If B returns the suit, A having aban- 
doned it, or the trick losing to opponents, he must return 
the highest of the three. For instance: — 



* * * 



* * * 

+ 
4 •£■ 4 



C 



I* 



*+* 
4, 4. 

4* 
4. 4. 



B 



4. 4. 
* 



* * 

4. 4. 
4. 4. 



D 



* * * * 



4. 4. 
4, 4. 



1. — A leads ace; C plays 3; B plays 8; D plays 10. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. l8l 

Now suppose that A leads trumps, and they come out, 
leaving B in the lead. 

2. — B leads qu; D plays k; A plays 2; C plays 7. 

The unblocking game has been objected to on the 
ground that B must return the highest of three cards, 
having retained his lowest card the first round, the ob- 
jectors claiming that this may often cause A to misread 
B's hand. This objection does not appear to be sound, 
for it will be found that in the majority of cases it does 
just the opposite, and that by no other play than the one 
proposed, can A read the hands so absolutely after the 
second round. It must not be forgotten that B has re- 
tained his lowest card, and that this makes all the differ- 
ence. The above example is a case in point. Note how 
absolutely A can place the two remaining cards of the suit 
with B. The 6 not showing up in these two rounds is 
marked with B, and he consequently must have the 9 also. 

There is a point here, which has been referred to be- 
fore, and is important. It is in this: A must be careful 
to play at trick three — i. e., on the third round of the 
suit that B has unblocked in, so that he may render it 
possible for B to clear. Suppose that A next leads the 
suit under illustration (the one last in diagram) he should 
lead the 4, not the kn. If he leads the knave B must 
block, no matter how he plays. B's cards may often be 
of such rank — as in this instance, — that he can only get 
out of the way, even though he has retained his lowest 
card, by the cooperation of A. 

3. — A leads 4; C discards; B plays 9; D discards. 

B returns the 6, and A brings in the 5. On the other 
hand, suppose B plays as under: — 

1. — A leads ace; C plays 3; B plays 6; D plays 10. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 8; D plays k; A plays 2; C 
plays 7. 



1 82 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

There is not a word of conversation between the players 
here. So far as A can read, C ma)' have the qu, 9, and, 
in this event, if A is forced to lead the suit, he has no 
other trick. The return of the highest of three, when B 
has retained his lowest of four the first round, will oftener 
assist than mislead A; and the balance of advantage is 
surely with the unblocking game, despite the fact that it 
is possible for the cards to so lie, that loss may result from 
the play here advised. 

If B finds it expedient to discard from the suit he has 
unblocked in, he discards his middle card, if he has three 
at the time. If he has already discarded or followed 
suit, throwing the middle card, he will then discard the 
higher of his two remaining cards, if he can read at the 
time that A does not need his assistance in the suit. B 
should always be alert to make use of the discard as a 
means of getting out of A's way, no matter how he may 
have played in the previous rounds of the suit. Getting 
rid of the command by discard is not infrequently the 
only way open to B to clear A's suit, and he rarely has a 
second opportunity, if he misses the first. 

B, wishing to call, holding exactly four cards of the 
suit, ace led, must play his second-best card to the ace. 
This B can nearly always afford to do without risk of 
loss. With two court cards and two small cards, as, king, 
queen, 3, 2; or queen, knave, 3, 2, B should abandon the 
call, as sacrificing the court card is a risk too great to 
run. The abandonment of the call under these circum- 
stances is of no consequence, for B will get in on the 
second or third round. Holding king, queen and two 
small, for instance, it would be folly to throw queen. Be- 
sides it would most likely cause A to change the suit, 
when, if B plays his third-best card, A goes' on and B 
gets in and no sacrifice is made. B, with one court card 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 183 

and any three cards below the 10, may throw the second- 
best card to the ace without much risk of loss. If B's 
three cards are in sequence, or when his second and 
third-best cards are of indifferent value he, of course, 
runs no risk in calling. In rare cases B may deem it in- 
expedient to ask for trumps on the first round (thus 
playing his third-best card); but the subsequent play may 
render it obvious that a trump lead would be very ad- 
vantageous. B may not be able to make a late call under 
these circumstances, but if it is evident to B that a trump 
lead would be advantageous, it will likewise be evident 
to A, who will lead them without the signal from B. 



King Led Originally. 

The king is led as an original lead from ace, king and 
any two; king, queen and any two. 

With any three or more cards, B plays his lowest card 
to the king, unless he desires to call or gain the lead. 

With ace, knave only, B plays ace on king and returns 
the knave. 

With ace, knave and one small card, B plays small to 
king and to the second round the ace, unless C trumps. 
If C trumps B plays knave and is marked with the ace 
only. 

With ace, knave and two small cards, B plays his 
lowest card to the king, and if C follows suit to the next- 
round, B plays knave, and is marked with ace and at least 
one other card. 

B, with any four cards, plays his lowest card to the 
king. The lead is declared to be from four cards only, 
and B holding four cards cannot block the suit, and he 
cannot afford to make any sacrifice in an endeavor to 



1 84 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



show four. The king may be led from king, queen and 
two very small cards. Suppose the following: — 







A Al 
" A^l 
A ' A 

A*A 


A A 

* . *l 
A*Ai 
A A 


A A 

*a" 

A A 

A A 


A A 

A 
A A 








\* 


1 

* 


B 

C D 

A 




+1 


* * 

* * 




+ * 
+ 


+: 




* 1 












11 


m 


A A 


* 
A 



i. — A leads k ; C plays ace ; B plays 8 ; D plays kn. 
Here B's four cards are almost in sequence, and yet 
the play of the 8 leaves C with the ultimate control. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads qu ; C plays 2 ; B plays 9; D 
discards or trumps. 

3 (A to lead). — A leads 3 ; C plays 6 ; B plays 10 — 
and C's 7 is good, which would not have been the case 
had B played first the 5 then 8. 

It is, however, incumbent upon A to unblock at the 
proper moment, if the fall demonstrates that B is longer 
in the suit than he is. Take this case : — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I8 5 



4. 4. 

* 

4. 4. 




4. 4. 

* 
4. 4. 




4. 4. 
4. 4. 
4. 4. 




4. 4. 




4. 





B 




c 


A 


D 




4. ' 4. 



14. ^••j»>|» 



4* * 



C plays ace ; B plays 2 ; D plays 5. 
-A leads qu ; C plays kn ; B plays 4 ; 



1. — A leads k 

2 (A to lead).- 
D plays 9. 

Now suppose that B leads the suit again and D trumps, 
A should throw the 10, as B is marked with the 8, 7. If 
he retains the 10, he blocks B. 

With none of the suit, B, of course, passes the king, if 
C does not cover. 



Queen Led Originally. 



The queen is led, originally, from a tierce major, five 
or more in suit ; king, queen, five or more in suit, and 
from tierce to queen, four or more in suit. 

With ace, king and more than four in suit, B plays his 



l86 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

lowest card to the queen, unless he is desirous of obtain- 
ing the lead. 

B, holding the ace, king, knows that A has led from a 
tierce to queen, and if A next leads the knave he shows 
four in suit only, and B, holding ace, king and more 
than two small ones originally, plays small to knave as 
he is longer in the suit than A. If A follows queen with 
10, five cards at least are proclaimed. 

With ace, king and two small cards, B plays his third- 
best card to the queen, and to the second round the 
king, even though C discards or trumps. B is then 
marked with ace and one small. 

With ace, king and one small card, B plays king to 
queen led, and returns the ace. But if C is void and 
discards or trumps, B plays small to queen. 

With ace, knave, 10 and more than one small card, B 
plays his smallest card to the queen. B holding ace, 
knave, 10 ; or ace, 10 and others, knows that A has led 
from king, queen, five at least in suit. 

With ace, knave, 10 and one small card, B plays 10 to 
the queen, and the knave to the second round, irrespec- 
tive of the play of C or D, and shows ace and one small. 

With ace, knave, 10 only, B plays 10, then ace, and is 
marked with the knave single. 

With ace, knave and two small cards, B plays his 
third-best card to the queen, and the knave to the next 
round — whether C or D follows suit, discards or trumps 
— and is marked with the ace and one small. 

With ace, knave and one small card, B plays small — 
then ace. 

With ace, knave only, B plays ace and returns the 
knave and can have no more. 

With ace and more than three small cards, B plays his 
smallest card, if C follows, not covering, or trumps. If 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



l8 7 



C, however, discards, B plays ace, unless one of his small 
cards is the knave or 10, in which case he is assured that 
the lead is from king, queen and at least three small- - 
and he passes the queen. 

With ace and three small cards, B plays his third-best 
card to the queen. When the queen is led from queen, 
knave, 10 and one or two small cards, B may lose a trick 
by retaining his lowest card the first round, holding ace 
and three small cards ; but in order to bring this about, 
C must have king and three others, and B's second-best 
card must outrank C's second-best card. As : — 



* * 


1 

*! 






* 




* * 

* * 


* 
* 


pis 






c 



B 



A 



* •?• 



4. * 



D 







* 



1. — A leads qu ; C plays 3 ; B plays 5 ; D plays 9. 

2. — A leads kn ; C plays 6 ; B plays 8 ; D discards. 

3. — A leads 2 ; C plays 7 — and B must play ace and 
C's king is free. 

This possible loss of a trick can only occur when B's 
second-best card is the 9 or 8 ; D must be void or with 



1 88 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



one only; and C must have king and three others. The 
distribution of the suit is exceptional, and this is the 
only combination wherein it is possible for B to lose a 
trick by playing his third-best card the first round — 
queen led. There stands against this the great advan- 
tage A often gains by being able to read the suit the fijst 
round, and nearly always on the second, if B unblocks ; 
when, if B plays his lowest card the first round, A may 
be left very much in doubt even after the second round. 
Take this example: — 




4> A 4. 

4. 4.1 4. 4, 4. 





B 




c 




D 




A 






4. ' 4. 



►% »J* »-Jo 



t. — A leads qu ; C plays 7 ; B plays 3 ; D plays 6. 

2. — A leads kn ; C plays 8 ; B plays 4 ; D discards or 
trumps. 

Now, so far as A can read, B may have the remainder 
of the suit, or C can have the king single, or the king, 9. 
If, however — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



189 



i. — A leads qu ; C plays 7; B plays 4 ; D plays 6. 

And A reads that if no one is calling, B has ace, 3 
and one card higher than the four, and on the second 
round A can place the suit absolutely. Or again : — 






•a* 

• + 



4. 4» 



•f* •£ 



* 

* 


* 


* 






+ 


* 






.,.,..., 



B 



D 



■I* 4* ♦ 

*> 
4. 4. ►$. 





* 

* 



1. — A leads qu ; C plays 5 ; B plays 4 ; D plays 7. 
2. — A leads 2 ; C plays 6 ; B plays ace ; D trumps. 

(When the qu is led from k, qu, five or more in suit, winning the 
trick, the second lead is the fourth-best, counting from and in- 
cluding the qu. By ignoring the k, the play is rendered more 
informatory as the leader shows two cards of intermediate rank 
between the first and second cards led.) 

A cannot place a card in the suit ; B may have no 
more, and C can have knave, 10, 9, so far as A can read 
from the fall ; for if C held the tierce to knave, he 
would likewise have played the 6 to A's deuce, knowing 
it must force the ace. On the other hand suppose — 

1. — A leads qu ; C plays 5 ; B plays 9 ; D plays 7. 

A knows — barring a call that B has ace, kn, 4 or ace, 



190 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

10, 4. A can read that the great probability is that the 
suit is established and — barring trumps, — that there are 
five tricks in the suit. By the first play A, even after 
the second round, cannot tell from the fall that he might 
not lose two tricks in the suit. Furthermore, if B can 
be depended on to play his third-best card, holding 
exactly four in suit, A can nearly always read that B 
must have played his lowest card (when B does so play), 
and consequently cannot have exactly four, and in the 
subsequent play this may prove of great value to A. 
The balance of advantage lies with the unblocking game, 
and the writer believes that third hand should play his 
third-best card to queen led, as an original lead, holding 
any four cards (exactly) of the suit. 

It must not be forgotten that not one long suit per- 
haps in ten, is brought in, and B's unblocking tactics go 
for naught ; for the purely unblocking feature of B's 
play counts only when A succeeds in bringing in the 
suit. The gain in tricks is usually made by the proper 
play of all the suits, and the information afforded to A 
by B showing four, or that he cannot have exactly four, 
is rarely if ever lost ; for such information can almost 
always be turned to good account, whether a long suit is 
made or not. The purely unblocking part of the play 
is not of so much practical value as showing the number 
in suit. Good players, who carefully note the absence of 
a small card from the fall the first and second rounds of 
a suit, often reap great advantage from the information. 
This feature of the unblocking game is sadly neglected 
by even very good players, and the writer believes that 
it is of more practical value than any other convention 
of the game, and should receive very much more atten- 
tion than it usually does. The negative information 
here, is almost as valuable as the positive ; for if A leads 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I 9 I 



the ace and B plays the deuce, or any low card that A 
knows is B's lowest card, he reads at once that B has 
less or more than four, and this negative information 
may, in the subsequent play, be of great benefit to A. 
B, in retaining his lowest card, may not only enable A 
to count the hands as to this one suit, but may greatly 
aid A in reading B's hand in the other suits. Suppose 
B has unblocked in diamonds, and after the second 
round is marked with two cards of the suit ; A now 
leads trumps (clubs), B shows four, and subsequently 
five hearts ; A knows that B's hand contains no spade, 
and he plays subject to this information. 

With ace and two small cards, B plays small to queen, 
unless C covers. B's second play (in the suit) depends 
upon the follow by A and whether C follows suit, dis- 
cards or trumps. Suppose the following : — 



4» 



4» 4. 



* * 





c 


B 
A 


D 


1 
4« 4.I 


♦J. .J. .$- .♦. 
* 

4< of- ♦£• »-*- 






4. ' 4. 



*.* 



4. 4. 




i. — A leads qu ; C plays 2 ; B plays 4 ; D plays k. 
Now, if B next leads the suit, he leads ace ; if C leads 



192 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the suit B also plays ace. If D leads the suit through 
A, A puts on the kn and B having the ace, 8 (the 9 
falling from C), wins with ace — 

2 (A to lead). — A leads kn ; C plays 9 ; B plays ace ; 
D plays 3. 

A shows that he had but four cards of the suit origin- 
ally and C playing the 9 is marked with no more, conse- 
quently D must have had king and three others. But B 
having the 8 wins with the ace and — 

3. — B leads 8 ; D plays 5 ; A plays 10 — 

A, having the 7, wins the 8 and draws the 6 from D. 
Had A had the 6 he would have passed the 8. The fall 
here rendered the play of A and B obvious Likewise, 
if B holds the 9 he wins the kn, even if C discards, and 
returns the 9, and if A has the 10, 8, he takes ; if not, 
he passes. But if B's two cards with the ace are very 
small cards he may have to hold up the ace the second 
round — the queen losing to D. As : — 



4" 


4» * 

A A 
* * 


A A 





c 


B 
A 


D 


■ 


4< •*• "tr! 

! 






a , a a a 

*~* A** 

A A v ~ 
*A V 

4* A 4* 1 4* 4* 



*3* *5* "5* *•• 

i4* 4* >H 



* * * 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 193 

1. — A leads qu ; C plays 2 ; B plays 4 ; D plays k. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads kn ; C plays 3 ; B plays 6 ; 
D plays 5. 

A, following the queen with knave, shows 10 and one 
small only, and B must play the 6, for unless C and D 
have exactly three cards each a trick will be lost as the 

9 must be with the opponents. If A follows queen with 

10 or 9 — showing five in suit or quart sequence, B plays 
ace as he cannot possibly lose by so doing. If C does 
not follow suit to the 10 (to the 9 it is immaterial) dis- 
carding or trumping, B should play small; for if he puts 
up ace, and D has the 9, 8 and one small card, he will 
hold over A in the end. If this situation should occur at 
a critical point — say after trumps are out, and it is 
evident that A B must make four tricks in the suit (with- 
out losing the lead) to save or make the game, B would 
of course win the 10 with the ace and trust to finding A 
with a tenace over D — say knave, 8 against D's 9 and 
small. 

When the queen is led, winning the trick, and a small 
card is next led, the lead is then proclaimed to be from 
the king and at least three small cards, and B holding 
ace and two small cards originally, plays ace to the 
second round, if C follows suit or discards ; but if C 
trumps, B plays small, unless he can read from the play 
that A held six originally, when he should play ace, as 
D can have but two cards remaining. 

With ace and one small card, B passes the queen led, 
if C follows suit and does not cover. If C is void and 
trumps, B plays small ; if C discards, B plays ace. 

With king and three small cards, B plays his third- 
best card to the queen, and to the second round his 
middle card. B knows — holding the king — that the 
lead is from tierce to queen ; and when C or D is short 



194 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



of the suit, B may be forced to abandon his unblocking 
tactics on the third round, if A plays improperly at trick 
three — but not otherwise, unless, indeed it develops 
that A has made a forced lead from queen, knave, 10 
only. Take this case : — 






4. ^. 



* * 



B 



D 



* * *! 



:*■ * * 




V 

1. — A leads qu ; C plays ace ; B plays 4 ; D plays 2. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads kn ; C trumps ; B plays 9 ; D 
plays 5. 

Now, if A goes on with the suit, subsequently, leading 
the 10, B must play the trey, but if A properly leads the 
7, B plays king. If A can be depended upon to play 
correctly, B reads, if A leads 10, that he originally led 
from three cards only. 

With king and two small cards, B plays his lowest card 
to the queen, and if A next leads the suit — leading the 
10, B plays k on 10, if C follows suit ; if C renounces, B 
plays small, unless his small card is the 9, when he still 
plays k. If C leads the suit, B, of course, plays king. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



195 



With any four small cards (i. <?. , all lower than the qu), 
B plays his third-best card, and in the next trick his 
middle card. 

With none of the suit, B passes qu led, if C does not 
cover. 

When queen is led, and C covers with king, B with 
ace and others must prepare to unblock on the subse- 
quent rounds if his small cards are blocking cards — say 
9, 8 and small, or nine and two small. When the queen 
is covered by C with king, the lead is at once proclaimed 
to be from tierce to queen, and if A next leads the suit 
he will show his numerical strength by the card he 
selects for the second lead. For example : — 

Queen then knave, shows four in suit, and denies the 9. 

Queen then 10, shows five in suit, possibly the 9 in- 
cluded. 

Queen then 9, shows the knave, 10 only remaining. 



A 


A A 

A . A 
A A 
A A 


*A* 
AA 

A V A 


* 

A 

* 




I96 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — A leads qu ; C plays k ; B plays ace ; D plays 4. 

If B returns the suit, he leads the 9, not the 3, for A 
being marked with the knave, 10, B's 9, 8 are virtually 
second and third best cards, and by so playing he is 
only following the accepted play (see Chapter XXI., The 
Return). If B returns the trey he blocks A's suit, if A 
next leads (third round) the knave. 

2. — A leads 10 ; C discards or trumps ; B plays 8 ; D 
plays 6. 

B prepares to unblock on the second round. If B 
plays the 3, he may block the suit. 

3. — A leads kn ; C discards or trumps ; B plays 9 ; D 
plays 7. 

A's suit is now cleared. If A had followed the qu 
with knave, B would then have played the 3. 

B, wishing to lead trumps, holding ace, king and any 
two small cards, is strong enough to take the queen with 
king, even if C renounces. 

With ace, knave and two small, B cannot afford to 
win the queen or play knave — if C is void, — and must 
either abandon the call or the unblocking play ; but if 
C follows suit to the queen, B can safely take with ace, 
as D can have, at most, but three cards in the suit. 

With ace, 10 and two small cards, B wishing to call 
and unblock may safely play the 10 if C follows suit to 
the queen, but not if C renounces. 

With king and three small cards, to queen led, B can 
safely play his second-best card, if he wishes to call for 
trumps. 

B, with any four cards smaller than the queen, can 
always afford to play his second-best card to the queen 
led, if he desires to call for trumps. 

B's play is based upon the assumption that A has led 
from a suit of at least four cards. Forced leads from 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 197 

queen and two small, or from queen, knave, 10 only, be- 
ing exceptional are not considered. 

Knave Led Originally. 

When knave is led as an original lead, the leader has 
either ace, king, queen, knave and one or more small, 
or king, queen, knave, and two or more small. 

With ace and more than three small cards, B plays his 
lowest card to the kn, unless he wishes to obtain the 
lead, or call for trumps. 

With ace and three small cards, B plays his third-best 
card, and to the second round the second-best, and is 
marked with ace and one small. 

So long as B retains the ace he is marked with at least 
one small card, and when B plays the ace he has but one 
small card remaining, except, of course, when B plays 
ace the first round — when he may have no more — or 
when, desirous of stopping the lead, he plays ace on 
knave, and then leads trumps, in which event he may be 
long in the suit. 

With ace and two small cards, B plays small to knave, 
and to the second round the ace, if C follows suit. In 
the event of A leading queen after knave — showing at 
least six in suit,— B plays ace to the second trick whether 
C discards or trumps, as D can have but two cards of 
the suit, one of which will fall, and A's king will draw 
the other ; but if A leads king after knave, C renounc- 
ing, B plays small, for if he throws the ace D may be 
left with the 10 guarded, and a trick be lost. If how- 
ever, B has the 10, he plays the ace, and A reads him 
with the 10, for when B played small to the knave he 
was marked with at least one small, and when to the 
second trick he throws the ace — C renouncing, — he 



198 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



notifies A that his small card is the 10, or otherwise the 
ace would not have been played. 

With ace and one small card, B plays ace to knave 
led — if C follows suit ; if C discards or trumps, B plays 
his small card. 

If B, after the second round, discards from the suit, 
holding ace and one small card, he discards the ace that 
he may not block the suit. B's discard of the ace will 
not deceive A, for when B played small to the second 
trick he was marked with the ace and at least one small. 
For example : 



|+ + +| 

L 4. 4! 



•?• •£• •}• •£• •£■ «J» 

!«?• 4*| ■?» 4*| [4^_ _4* 





B 




c 


A 


D 




* * * * 


* 


* 


*■ 


*•** 




* 


* * 


* + 


* 


+ * 






* 


4. *. 




* 


* 


* * 



1. — A leads kn ; C plays 6 ; B plays 5 ; D plays 7. 

The 4 not falling, A reads B with four of the suit 
originally — unless some one is calling. 

2. — A leads k ; C trumps ; B plays 9 ; D plays 8. 

A now knows that B has the ace, 4, and D the 10 
single, and B gives A the queen and two small, and if he 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



I 99 



subsequently discards from the suit, he throws the ace, 
and A's suit is cleared. 

With four small cards, B plays his third-best card to 
kn led — retaining his lowest card, and his subsequent 
play is the same as when queen is led (see analysis of 
Third-Hand Play — queen led). 

B holding four small cards, may be forced to abandon 
his unblocking tactics on the third round, when either C 
or D is void of the suit. As : — 



A A 




* 


4* 




4- 




* 


* k * 










A, 






*** 




*. 


* 




_*._ 




*__ 



* * 
* 

* * 


* 




* * * 

* <* <* 




.}. »j- .j- .j- 
♦ * * * 





B 




c 


A 


D 




A A 

4» 4- 




A A 
4« 

4* 4* 



1. — A leads kn; C plays ace; B plays 3; D discards. 

NoW suppose that trumps come out and A leads — 

2. — A leads k; C plays 7; B plays 4; D discards. 

3. — A leads qu; C plays 8; B plays 2; D discards. 

B throws the 2, not the 10, for it is certain that C has 
the 9. Had A followed kn with qu, then B would have 
thrown the 10 to A's third lead, as in this case C could 
have no more of the suit, as the play shows that A held 
six of the suit originally. 



200 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

When B has none of the suit he passes th.e kn led — 
discarding from his weakest suit. It is assumed that A 
will not — as an original lead — lead kn from kn, 10, 9, 
etc., and that the lead is from quart major or tierce to 
king, and B, of course, will not trump the kn unless his 
hand is invincible. 

When knave is led, and all follow suit to the first 
round, B, holding any four cards, knows that A can take 
care of the suit unassisted, as C or D can have at the 
most but three cards of the suit. This being the case B 
plays his four cards with the single purpose of getting 
out of A's way, and at the same time to inform A that he 
held originally four cards of the suit. A can very often 
read on the first round of the suit that B has either four 
cards of the suit, or that he cannot have exactly four. In 
either case, this may be valuable information — if not in 
a positive, at least in a negative way. Take the follow- 
ing example : — 



* 


*** 


* * 

* * 






MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 201 

i. — A leads kn; C plays 5; B plays 6; D plays 7. 

If no one is calling, A knows that B has ace, 4 and one 
other card of the suit remaining, and he knows that if 
he continues the suit, that the chances are that either 
C or D will trump. Give D the 10 in the above case, 
and then: — 

1. — A leads kn; C plays 5; B plays 4; D plays 7. 

It is improbable that B held five cards of the suit, and 
it is certain that he has not exactly four cards, conse- 
quently A gives B ace and one small card and knows 
that, unless one of the opponents held four cards of the 
suit, it will run twice. 

B holding ace and three small cards, A leading the 
kn, will rarely, if ever, be forced to abandon his unblock- 
ing tactics, if A plays properly. For example: — 



* 


♦ ♦ "5* 


*** 

* * 

* * 


4. * 
* 




1. — A leads kn; C plays 2; B plays 7; D trumps. 
As before stated, B cannot possibly lose by continuinj 



202 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

his unblocking play — holding four cards, — if all follow to 
the first round, and in case C or D is void — A following 
kn with qu — he still cannot lose, as A can exhaust the 
opponents unassisted. But when A shows but five in 
all, C or D renouncing to the first round, it is then in- 
cumbent upon A to so play — trick three, — that B may 
give up command. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads k; C plays 6; B plays to. 

B is marked with ace and one small, and, if A next 
leads the suit, he plays the 3; if he goes on with the qu, 
B must throw the 5 (or lose a trick), and the suit is 
blocked. If B leads the suit he leads the ace, and if led 
by C, B plays ace, and A's suit is cleared. 

B wishing to call for trumps, holding four of the suit 
(A leading the kn), plays his second-best card to the 
first trick, and cannot possibly lose by the play. Take 
this case: — 



* * +: 

* * *! 



*i- •*- °l~ ♦2- 

.•-. 4. .}- <.;. 



«j» 9 *%• ^» A «!• •$• 

* A A * * * * 

«5^ •?• •?» 4» •?• ■£ 





B 




c 


A 


D 




A 

A A 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 203 

x. — A leads kn; C plays 4; B plays 10; D plays 5. 

A can read absolutely that B is calling and leads a 
trump at once; for it is highly improbable that the ace 
is held up by the opponents, consequently must be with 
B. If B had ace, 10 only he would have played ace and 
returned the 10; if he had ace, 10 and one small — not 
calling, — he would have played the small card; he did 
not win the trick because he wished a strengthening 
trump from A. Had B played the 7 — beginning the 
call — A could not have read the play, and A going on 
with the suit permitting D to trump, to the probable 
loss of several tricks. 

It is taken for granted that the knave is not led from 
kn, 10, 9 etc. If the knave is lead from tierce to knave, 
B cannot afford to unblock or sacrifice a high card in 
calling, unless his four cards are all smaller than the 
knave. 

Ten Led Originally. 

When the 10 is led as an original lead, the leader has 
king, kn, 10 and one or more small cards. 

With ace, qu and more than two small cards, B plays 
his lowest card to the 10 — unless he is desirous of ob- 
taining the lead. 

With ace, qu and two small cards, B plays his third- 
best card to the 10, and the qu to the next small card 
led, and shows ace and one small card remaining. 

With ace, qu and one small card, B plays small to the 
10, and to the second round throws the ace, and is 
marked with the qu only. 

With ace, qu only, B plays the ace to the 10, and if 
expedient returns the qu at once and can have no more. 

With ace and any number of small cards, B plays the 



204 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



ace to the 10, leaving A the option of the finesse of kn 
on the second round. After winning with the ace, B, if 
lie returns the suit, leads the highest of two, the lowest 
of more than two cards; unless, however, B holds the 9, 
8 and one small, in which event he returns the 9. B's 
object in returning the 9 is twofold, as the following illus- 
tration demonstrates: — 



* * * 



C 



* * 
4» . •!• 
*** 
4* 4* 










I) 



>?• -i* •!• 

1* * * 



4. 4. 

4. 4= 
4. 4. 



4. 4. 
4, 4. 



1. — A leads 10; C plays 3; B plays ace; D plays 5. 

2. — B leads 2; D plays 7; A plays kn; C trumps. 

A, of course, finesses kn, for if C has qu he must also 
have one more at least, as with qu and one small he 
would have put up the qu first round. Now, suppose 
trumps come out, and A goes on with the suit, he must 
lead k, and B blocks A's suit. Had B returned the 9, A's 
suit would have been cleared; besides the return of the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



205 



9 gives A the option of passing if he does not wish the 
lead. 

With qu and more than three small cards, B plays his 
smallest card to the 10. 

With qu and three small cards, B plays his third-best 
card to the 10, and the second round his middle card, 
and is marked with the qu and one small. 

With qu and two small cards, B plays his smallest card 
to the 10, and to the second round the qu, provided, 
however, that A shows five cards, or the fall would indi- 
cate that he has five cards at least in the suit. As: — 



* 

1* 


+ 


1 




* * * * 




1 
1 

L 


* 


1 



c 



A* "^* ^* 
A l A 

A 

A A A A 



B 




A l A 



I) 



* 4* 

* * 






* 





1. — A leads 10; C plays ace; B plays 4; D plays 5. 
2. (A to lead). — A leads k; C plays 7; B plays qu; D 
plays 6. 



2CO MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

B unblocks, as A is marked with the trey and deuce 
and the 9, if against, is unguarded. Again: — 






4. 

4* + 




*** 

4« 4- 
4*.4» 
*** 


4- 
4> 
4- 



1* 




* * * 


■J* 




* 




**• V **• 


■»• 




i* 


* 


* 


1 


* 


• 


1* 


* 


+ 




1* 


* 


* 


I* 


* 


* 



1. — A leads 10; C plays 2; B plays 4; D plays ace. 

2. (A to lead). — A leads k; C plays 5; B plays 8; D 
plays 6. 

B must play the 8 or he makes D's 9 good. 

With any four small cards (all lower than the 10), B 
plays his third-best card to the 10 — retaining his lowest 
card. 

When B retains his lowest card to the 10 led, his 
subsequent play is subject to the rules governing the 
unblocking game (see page 161). Here, also, B may be 
forced to abandon his unblocking tactics on the third 
round of the suit. As: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



207 



4 1 4" 



♦ 4 * 
4. .j- 4. 



* * 

4» , •?• 
*** 
4. 4. 


4. 4. 
4» 

1*5* 4* 


* 
4. 


* 
4- 





'B 




C 


A 


D 




4. 4. 
4*.* 

4* 4* 



* A * 4- 4- 

4« 

4« 4* 4- 4^ 



* 



1. — A leads 10; C plays 5; B plays 3; D plays ace. 

2. (A to lead). — A leads k; C plays 6; B plays 7; D 
trumps. 

3. (A to lead). — A leads kn; C plays qu; B plays 2; 
D discards. 

B cannot place the 8 with A. C may have the 8, and 
if B throws the 9 a trick may be lost. A was culpably 
negligent here, and by a bad play forced B to abandon 
his unblocking game. The deuce, not coming out in 
the two rounds, was marked with B, who must conse- 
quently have either the qu or 9, and A should have led 
the 8 at trick 3; in which event B would have played the 
9 and A's suit would have been cleared. Not infre- 
quently bad play on the part of A leaves B in the dark 
unnecessarily, and forces him to block A's suit. When 
A can read that B has retained his lowest card, he should, 
as in this instance, so play to the third round of the 
suit that B may read him with the command, so that he 



208 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

may be enabled to pursue his unblocking tactics. As 
before pointed out, the great advantage of the unblock- 
ing game is that it very often enables the leader to count 
the hands. To reap full returns, the leader must be ever 
on the alert to note the absence of a small card from the 
fall after the second round. 

With none of the suit, B passes the 10, unless covered 
by C, and, even in this event, B may find it to his advan- 
tage to pass, holding four trumps and a good hand 
besides. The character of his hand, and the state of the 
score, must determine for B the advisability of passing 
the 10, when void of the suit, C having covered. 

In regard to B calling for trumps, the 10 led, he can 
always afford to play his second-best card the first round, 
holding four small cards. If B has any card higher than 
the 10, i. e., the ace or queen, it is assumed that, if he 
desires trumps led, he will cover the 10, thus making an 
effort to gain the lead. 

Nine Led Originally. 

The 9 is led as an original lead from two combina- 
tions, and, like the king, proclaims exactly four in suit — 
ace, queen, 10, 9, or ace, knave, 10, 9. 

B, holding any four cards of the suit, cannot block A, 
but he should retain his lowest card, the first round — 
playing his third-best, if he does not attempt to take the 
trick or desire to call. It is assumed that A, as the first 
lead of all, will not lead the 9 from any combination 
except the ones given above. In rare cases A may lead, 
even as the first lead of the hand, from 9 and two small 
ones, and even in this event B has nothing to gain by 
playing the court card, holding queen or knave and 
others; for if the lead is from 9 and two small, B hold- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



209 



ing knave and two or three small ones, is not likely to 
make a trick in the suit with the ace, king, queen, 10 all 
against. Putting up the knave the first round would 
simply establish the suit at once for the opponents. B 
has nothing to gain by playing his third-best card the 
first round — holding exactly four cards of the suit, so far 
as unblocking is concerned, but as a matter of impart- 
ing valuable information to A, the play may be of great 
advantage. The play of the third-best card not infre- 
quently enables A to place all the important cards the 
first round, and nearly always the second round. This 
is of much greater practical value than the purely 
unblocking feature of the play. Suppose the follow- 



* 


* 


*, 


•J 






* 


* 


* ! 




4. 


* 


* 


< 


. * 


* 


* 


* 




4. * 



B 



D 






+ + 





* 


* 


* 


* 


* 


* - 

1 


h *J 



1. — A leads 9; C plays 7; B plays 6; D plays 3. 
Now, barring unusual finesse, or holding up, and 
taking it for granted that no one is calling, A can read 



2IO MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

from the fall that B has the k, kn, 2 exactly of the suit, 
and this may prove of great advantage to A, if not in a 
positive at least in a negative way; for if the play of this 
suit is discontinued — A leading trumps or opening 
another suit, B is marked with these three cards. Sub- 
sequently A may be able to read what B cannot have by 
knowing what he must have. This position will repay 
analysis: To begin with, the king cannot be with B unless 
he has the kn, for, if it were otherwise, he must have 
played the king. D should have no card outranking 
the 9. C cannot have king, knave, 8, or he would have 
played knave, and if he held originally knave, 8, 7, or 
knave, 7, he would likewise have put on knave; for 
second hand holding knave and one or two small cards — 
the 9 led, as an original lead — should play knave. If 
king is with B the knave cannot make, and if with D 
a trick may be gained. B must have had exactly four 
cards of the suit — the deuce not falling. B cannot have 
the 8, for in this case C could have had at most king, 7, 
and he would then have played the king on the 9 led. B 
must have exactly two cards higher than the 6 and the 
deuce; these two cards higher than the 6 cannot be the 
knave, 8, for then C could have had originally king, 7 
only, in which case he would have played king; these 
two cards cannot be the king, 8, for then B must have 
played king; consequently, A can read from the fall to 
this trick that B has king, knave, deuce yet in hand ; C 
the 8 or void, and D the 5/4, and possibly the 8 also. 
Had B played the king to the 9 and returned the deuce, 
A could not have placed a single card of the suit, even 
after the second round; for, so far as A could then read, 
the knave, 6, 5 might be with D. No other card but B's 
third-best imparts so much information to A, and it is 
certainly greatly to A's advantage to be able to place the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 211 

suit the very first round while he yet has possession of 
the lead. 

On the other hand suppose the lead of the 9 was a 
forced lead from 9 and two small, as: — 



+ * 
+ 


* 
* 




* * * 

4. .5- A 




V 
* 


p 


'--" )' 




+ 




4- * 
4. 4. 



B 



D 



*A* A 

A^A * 



-j« a -!♦ -;• 
*• * * + 




.J. 4. A 



i. — A leads 9; C plays 7; B plays k; D plays 3. 

2. — B leads 2; D plays 10; A plays 4; C plays 8. 

Here C D have three tricks in the suit by easy play 
no matter who next leads the suit. Now, let B play as 
first suggested : — 

1. — A leads 9; C plays 7; B plays 6; D plays 10. 

And B must make one trick — possibly two. Trans- 



212 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

pose the cards as you may, B cannot well lose by passing 
the 9. 

B holding king, queen; king, knave; queen or knave, 
four in suit, cannot possibly lose by playing the third- 
best to the 9 led — if the lead is not forced, and by the 
play may afford A very important information that no 
other play will yield. Not one hand in perhaps fifty 
justifies an irregular lead as the first of all, and perhaps 
not one in a hundred that would call for the 9 as the best 
of three, or from any other combinations except the con- 
ventional ones; and even then it is about an even chance 
that the play of second hand in conjunction with the 
cards B holds will show that the lead is forced, and he 
will, of course, play accordingly. 

With king, queen and more than two small cards, B 
plays his smallest card to the 9, unless he is desirous of 
gaining the lead. 

With king, queen and two small cards, B plays his 
third-best card to the 9, and to the second round the 
queen, and is marked with king and one small card. 

With king, queen and one small card, B plays queen 
to 9, and returns king, and has one more or no more. 

With king, knave and twO small cards, B plays his 
third-best card to the 9, and the knave to the second 
round and is marked with king and one small. 

With king, knave and one small card B plays small to 
9 led, and to the second round the king, and must have 
the knave single. 

With king, knave only, B plays king and returns the 
knave, and can have no more. 

With queen or knave and any three small cards, B 
plays his third-best card to the 9, and to the second round 
his second-best card, and is marked with the court card 
and one small card. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 213 

With queen or knave and any two small cards, B plays 
small and next the court card and shows one small only. 

With queen or knave and one small card, B plays the 
court card and returns the small card, and can have no 
more. 

With any four small cards, B plays his third-best card 
to the 9 and his subsequent play is as directed in previous 
analyses. 

With none of the suit, B should — usually — pass the 9 
if C does not cover. 

With any four cards smaller than the 9, B can safely 
sacrifice his second-best card the first round if he wishes 
to call, and if he wants to lead trumps, he will cover the 
9, if holding a court card. If B wins the 9 and then 
leads trumps, he can give no information as to the number 
of cards he may have of the suit. If B does not make an 
effort to win the 9, the inference is that he does not wish 
to lead trumps, or that he has no court card in the suit; 
consequently if the 9 wins B is not calling, for if B has 
no court card the 9 will not win, and holding a court 
card in the suit he would have made an effort to get the 
lead. This inference is subject to the qualification that 
B might prefer a trump led from A; but this would be 
exceptional as if B is strong enough to want trumps led 
he could hardly afford to risk two rounds of the suit in 
order to complete the call. 

Eight Led Originally. 

The rank of the low card led, and the follow of second 
hand, has much to do with the play of third hand, who 
will put up his best card, finesse, or pass the trick 
accordingly. Few players give the attention that is due 
to the rank of the cards. The higher the rank of the 



214 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

low card led the more information it discloses; conse- 
quently third hand in turn can often give partner by 
well-judged finesse, or by passing the trick, very valuable 
information that unskillful play will withhold. 

When an 8 or lower card is led originally, third hand 
gives the leader credit for three cards in the suit, all 
higher than the one first led. In other words, the leader 
has not a high-card combination in the suit, and has led 
his fourth-best card. Third hand further infers — barring 
a suit of tenaces or an exceptional hand — that the suit 
the leader has selected, as the one to open first of all, is 
the strongest plain suit he possesses, viewed in the light 
of high card and numerical strength combined. 

To the low card led, B is supposed, ordinarily, to play 
his best card, if needed. (For finessing in partner's suit, 
see chapter on Finesse.) B is also supposed to win the 
trick as cheaply as possible; that is to say, if he has 
cards in sequence, he plays the lowest of the sequence, 
as with qu, kn, 10, he plays 10, unless he wishes to call 
for trumps. When B's cards are all lower than the card 
led, or lower than the card played by C, he plays his 
lowest card; or if B's higher cards are in sequence with 
the card led he likewise plays his lowest card — as the 6 
led, C playing the 5, B holding 9, 8, 7, 4 plays 4. Even 
the best players are often sadly remiss in the play of 
third hand when a fourth-best card is led. It not in- 
frequently happens that B can read the exact combina- 
tion from which A has led, and by passing the trick he 
imparts very valuable information. For illustration: 
If A leads the 8 — -plain suit, — third hand with any of 
the following holdings should pass the trick, as finesse is 
absurd, and the play of the best unnecessary unless 
third hand wishes to make an effort to get into posses- 
sion of the lead for a particular purpose. Third hand 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



215 



holding any of the following combinations, with or with- 
out any smaller card: — 



4. 4. 

4.*4- 



4.** 

4. 4. 



4, ' 4 
A*. 



SCI 




4» 4* 

4» . 4> 
4,** 
4. 4. 



and others, 
and others, 
and others, 



and others. 



and others, 



Plays his lowest card to 
the 8 led by partner. . 



To finesse or put up the best card is useless, as the 8 
is as likely to win the trick as any card third hand may 
play. In each instance the ace or king must be against, 
and the 8 either forces its play or wins the trick, and if 



2l6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



third hand properly passes, the information it affords is 
very valuable. How often it occurs that third hand puts 
up his best card, with these holdings as if intent upon 
keeping partner in the dark. Suppose the following: — 



i^» (|o cj» ^s 

*** * 

■?• 4* «?• 4* 



* * 



* * 







c 


B 

A 


D 


1+ * 








* 4- * 








I^SIllP 



*** 




* + 



* 


* 

4- * 




* 

* 


4. 4. 



1. — A leads 8; C plays 2; B plays 4; C plays 6. 
Mark what A can read ; D has the 7 or no more, or is 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 217 

calling. C cannot have both king and queen, as he would 
then have played qu; B cannot have the k unless he has 
also the qu, 9, for with k, 9 only or k, qu only he would 
not have passed the trick; B must have the 9 if he has 
the qu, otherwise he would have put up qu, consequently 
B has either k, qu, 9 or qu, 9, and C must have the k or 
no high card. Suppose on the other hand — 

1. — A leads 8; C plays 2; B plays qu; D plays 6. 

The only inference A can draw is that D has not the 
king; for aught he can tell, C may have the other six 
cards of the suit, and all because B played as if he had 
never heard of the " fourth-best card." You must pay 
respect to the rank of the cards. It is understood, of 
course, that if A leads the 8 late in hand, when he may 
be underplaying, holding both ace and king, for instance, 
or when the 8 may be the best card he has of the suit, B 
does not pass, but puts up his best card. 



Seven Led Originally. 

So, also, with the following holding, third hand should 
pass the 7 led — plain sitit, — by partner, provided, of 
course, that he does not wish to make an effort to gain 
the lead. 

Third hand holding any of the following combinations, 
with or without any smaller card: — 



2l8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



*JJ~I 




»> ■: :i 




4. t 4> 


"«r f ; ' 




;■{ \ f , v V . 




♦ ' * 


Hi 




:: 











* 4- 

4» . + 



* 4* 

4" . 4° 

*** 






^1 




* ' * 

*** 
*** 




4. 4. 

+ * + 

4. 4. 




|4-^^| 




*** 




4. 4> 


croP^f 




4, ' * 




4» . + 


[ " i 




+ JL + 

*** 




you 




[4. 4. 



4* 4* 



*** 

4. 4. 

+ + 



Plays his lowest card to the 7 
led by partner 



In each instance the card against the 7 must win, no 
matter which card B throws, and B passing may give A 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



219 



a fund of information. It must not be forgotten that 
here, as with the 8, B must be careful how he passes in 
trumps, for the leader is very likely to lead small from 
ace, k, and others, or k, qu, and others, and that the 
foregoing applies particularly to plain suits. As an illus- 
tration of passing the 7, suppose the following: — 



* 

*' r * 
* * 



* 



1 

* +1 


c 


B 

A 


D 




+ +1 




4< »f< 




glJJ 



-». -J. -J. 

* + * 



***** 

• *A 

* * 



* * 
* 

* * 



i. — A leads 7; C plays 2; B plays 3; D plays 6. 

B knows that the ace, k, kn, io are the cards in the 
suit higher than the 7, and that A must hold either ace, 
kn, 10 or k, kn, 10; if the latter, he would have opened 
with the 10 and not the 7, consequently lie must have the 
former, and the k only is against. The 7 wins, and win- 
ning tells the story. But suppose: — 

1. — A leads 7; C plays 2; B plays qu; D plays 6. 

A here cannot surmise how the suit lies; D could have 
the 9, 8, or C could have the k, 9, 8 and others, or the 
control may be with B. You can readily see what a vast 
difference this might make in A's game. Care, great 



220 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

care, and thoughtful work is necessary to get all out of 
the fourth-best principle that there is in it. It matters 
not that you may not hold any one of the nine combina- 
tions, in the last tabulation, in a dozen hands — the 7 led — 
but in the thirteenth hand you may, and you should net 
miss the opportunity to play it properly. The Grand 
Coup may never come to you, yet you are on the alert to 
play it, if it ever comes. As you descend in the scale, 
the fourth-best card becomes, in a measure, less informa- 
tory, and it requires a more exceptional distribution of 
the suit to enable partner to finesse or pass with safety. 

Six Led Originally. 

It is, however, in the exceptional hands that the mod- 
erate player not infrequently becomes lost, or makes 
some bad play, and throws away a great game. Here is 
an example: — 






4. 4. 



* 









B 




1* 


*i 


1+ 


+1 


c 


A 


D 



Lf. ►{. ,f*| 



J. * 






4. i f 

4. 4. 

4. 4. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 22 1 

i. — A leads 6; C plays 4; B plays qu; D plays 2. 

B thoughtlessly plays the queen, and it may cost him 
no less than six tricks. B should have played the 5, 
knowing that the 6 must force the king or win the trick. 
Let this be the diamond suit, B's other cards being qu, 
kn, 10, 7, hearts; ace, qu, 7, 3, clubs (trumps); and no 
spade. Now, suppose that B goes in to make the diamond 
suit — and this would be about in keeping with his play of 
the qu — leading the 3 of clubs. If he finds D with kn, 
10 and three other spades; four small hearts, and the 9, 
8 clubs. A with ace, k and a small heart; three small 
spades; kn, 10, 2 of clubs. C, ace, k, qu and two other 
spades; two small hearts; king and three small trumps — 
A B will escape with the bare odd card. If B passes 
four rounds of spades A B make three by cards. On 
the other hand if B properly passes the 6, A, — seeing 
that at least one more round will establish the diamonds, 
and having reentry cards in hearts — at once leads the kn 
of clubs, and A B take every trick, a gain of six tricks. 
The one absolutely wrong play costs B six tricks. 

The leader leading the 6 — plain suit, — third hand 
holding any of the following ten combinations, should 
pass the 6 — throwing a smaller card if he has one, 
mainly as a matter of information to partner, which may 
prove of great value. 

Third hand holding any of the following combinations, 
with or without any smaller card — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 




44 

*' A 
A. * 



4 A 

* 
A * 

* 
* * 



A. A 



4 4 



*A* 



4 4 



' ! T.-V 




4~4 
A .A 
a*a 




4 4 

A , 4* 
4*4 




*** 
A 4 

A 

A A 







4,4 

4~4 

*** 

4 * 4 




4 4 

A . A 
4*A 

A A 




*A* 
4 4 



A, A 
A A 
4 4 



Ml 




4 4 
A .A 
4*4 

4 4 




*** 

A «i° 

A 
4 V 4 




A^4 

A^A 
A_A 




4 ^V* \i 




4 4 
A. A 
4*4 
4 4 




*4* 

A * 4 

A 
A A 




*A* 
4* i *4 

4 4 



Plays his lowest card 
► to the 6 led by part- 
ner. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



223 



In each instance the 6 is as good as any card third 
hand holds, and the 6 will either win the trick or force 
the ace or king. 

When B can read the exact combination that A has 
led from, and knows that he must be longer in the suit 
than A, he passes the card led for a double purpose: 
first — as has been pointed out, — that the leader may read 
the hands, and, second — that B may not block his own 
suit. Take this case: — 



♦!• : : ■' ■ . ' s- 


* * 

* . * 

*** 

* * 


A A 
** 
A A 

A 



T T T V 

^* *x* t* *r 




1. — A leads 6; C plays 2; B plays 4; D plays 3. 

B can count the cards in A's hands and knows that he 
has led from ace, qu, 10, 6 only, and that the king only is 
against. If B puts up the kn he hopelessly blocks his 
own suit and needlessly keeps A in the dark. As soon 
as A dropped the 6, B knew that he was longer in the 



224 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



suit than A, for if A had held five or more in suit he 
would have opened with the ace. 

2. — A leads ace; C plays k; B plays 7; D plays 5. 

If trumps come out and A goes on with this suit, he 
leads qu; and if next led by B, he leads the 8, A wins 
with queen and returns the 10, and B will make his 
small card. 

The fourth-best card is selected for the express pur- 
pose of publishing information. C at second hand is 
supposed to take advantage of the information when in 
his power to do so, and if B does not make all the use of 
it possible, the opponents reap the advantage in the end. 

When second hand covers, the card he plays may 
enable B to read A's hand, whereas otherwise he could 
not. Take this case: — 







Jj. 

4» 4*1 [ jjr 




1. — A leads 6; C plays 7; B plays 8; D plays 2. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



225 



C, covering the 6 with 7, enables B to read at once that 
A has led from either ace, 10, 9, 6 or king, 10, 9, 6, and 
he plays the 8, not the knave, and the 8 winning the trick 
informs A that B has the queen, knave or ace, qu, kn, 
and that C has the ace or no more, or is possibly calling. 
Had C not covered with the 7, B must have played kn as 
the 7 might then be with D. Had B played kn, then A 
could not have placed a single card in the suit, as, so far 
as he could read, C could hold ace, qn, 8. In the first 
case he knows on the very first round that one more 
round, at least, will establish the suit; in the second he 
cannot read for a certainty another trick in the suit. 
Again; — 



i* £, 4" 
+ ' + 

*** 




* 4> 

*** 

* 4* 



4. 4. 

4* 4» 4* 




* + * * * 

4» 4* 4* 
4* 

4* 4J [4j 4^ 



1. — A leads 5; C plays 6; B plays 7; D plays 3. 

C playing the 6, B reads that A has led from either 



226 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ace, kn, 8 or k, kn, 8, and in either case his 7 holds the 
trick or forces the play of the single court card that is 
against. Mark how informatory the play is. D has the 
4 or no more. B must have the qu, io, 9, possibly the 
king also, and C has the king single, or void. If, on the 
other hand, B plays qu, A cannot place a single unplayed 
card, as in this case the k, 10, 9 could be with C, and the 
deuce only with B. 

The point is, that whenever B can read the combina- 
tion which A has led from, or when he can read that it 
must be one of two or three combinations, he plays the 
lowest card that will either win the trick or force the play 
of a card from D higher in rank than his best card. This 
is not finesse, it is simply playing the lowest of two or 
more cards in sequence. If B knows that A, for instance, 
has the king, queen, B has virtually a quint sequence, 
holding the ace, kn, 10 and the to as a trick-maker is 
just as valuable as the ace, and B plays these three cards, 
if practicable, in such a manner, that A may read that he 
has them at the earliest moment. 



Low Card Led Originally. 

When a low card is led originally, B, with any number 
of cards, is supposed to play a card sufficiently high to 
win the trick, if in his power, and, as has been pointed out, 
this may not necessarily be his highest card. (Finesse is 
not considered. Instructions in finesse will be found in 
the chapter devoted to that feature of third-hand play.) 
When third hand makes an effort to win the first round 
of the suit — a low card being led — his play to the second 
round may be modified by the fall of the cards. When 
it is evident that A commands the suit, B will, of course, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



227 



play to unblock, if he holds blocking cards. If, on the 
contrary, it develops that B is longer in the suit than A, 
B will play to keep control when he can do so, and not 
endanger the loss of a trick. Take this case: — 




•S* *f* •&• 



4. 4. 

4. 4, 


* 

4. 

* 


* 



B 



* * 

**4. 
4, 4. 



4. 
4. 4. 



D 



4. 4. 
4, 4, 
4. 4. 






1. — A leads 6; C plays 7; B plays kn; D plays k. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 8; C discards; B plays 2; D 
plays ace. 

Here, upon the second round, B reads that A has 10, 
9 only remaining, and that D has the ace, 5, and con- 
sequently B plays to keep control of the suit that A may 
not block him. If B puts up the qu, he blocks his own 
play. 

As B does not necessarily play his best card the second 
round, neither does he always play his lowest card. If 
the play develops the fact that A has the numerical 
strength, B with blocking cards — while he may not find 



228 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



it practicable to play his highest card, — may play his 
middle card — retaining his lowest. In the preceding 
example, if A has the 5, D the 4, leaving B the qu, kn, 

3, 2 then: — 

1. — A leads 6; C plays 7; B plays kn; D plays k. 
2 (A to lead). — A leads 5; C discards; B plays 2; D 
plays ace. 

A can read that B has the qu and at least the trey or 

4, for B would have played the qu, holding qu, deuce 
only. 

When to a low card led, C plays a card higher than 
B can cover, he must play his lowest card, no matter 
what it is or how many cards he may have. As: — 




A .A 



* 

AAA 





B 




c 


A 


D 






A A 

*. * 
*** 
A A 


A A 
A A 
A V A 


*.* 
V 

A A 

A A 


A A 

A A 
A A 


* 



i. — A leads 6; C plays qu; B plays 2; D plays 4. 
Now, if A next leads the suit, he leads the 3, and a 
suit of five cards is proclaimed, and B knows that two 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 229 

cards only are with the opponents, and he should pre- 
pare to unblock. As: — 

2. — A leads 3; C plays k; B plays 10; D renounces. 

When A showed five in suit by the lead of the 3 after 
6, he requested B not to block his suit, and B playing 
the 10 is simply doing what A has requested him to do 
and the play should not deceive A. 

3 (C to lead). — C leads ace; B plays kn; D renounces; 
A plays 7. 

A's suit is cleared. Had B played the 5 to the second 
round, this would not have been the case. 

When B prepares to unblock on the second round, he 
must throw the higher of his two remaining cards on the 
third round. Likewise, if he discards from the suit, he 
must play the higher card. If B's three cards are such 
that he cannot possibly block, or if they are cards of 
equal value that must block no matter how he may play, 
he should then in both instances play his lowest remaining 
card to the second round. For instance, if B's three cards 
are the 5, 4, 3 he plays from the lowest up, and if after 
playing to the first round he is left with say kn, 10, 9, he 
must likewise play the lowest card to the second round. 
B only prepares to unblock on the second round — by 
playing his middle card — when his cards may block A's 
suit, and when by playing his middle card he may avoid 
blocking A. As soon as A shows more than four cards 
B should play to unblock, if he has blocking cards, but 
not otherwise. 

It is just as important for B to unblock in a suit that 
A has opened with a low card, as it is when A opens a 
suit with a high card; for in such cases the unblocking 
play is made for the purpose of bringing in the small 
card or cards of the suit. A few examples illustrating 
unblocking play on the part of B, when a low card is 



230 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



led, will make this evident and clearly show its advan- 
tages. 



Unblocking on the Second Round. 



* * * 

* * * 




c 






*2* • ■?• •{• °3^ 

4« 4» 4» I *fr 



B 



I) 



*** 

+ + 


I* 
4. * 



•5- * 



4» 4* 



■f* "f* 



1. — A leads 5; C plays qu; B plays 2; D plays ace. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 4; C plays k; B plays 10; D 
discards. 

A shows five in suit, and B having blocking cards pre- 
pares to get out of the way, by playing his middle card. 
If C now leads the 6, B plays kn; if B next leads the 
suit, or discards from it, the knave is thrown, and if led 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



231 



by A, B plays kn and A's suit is freed. If B plays the 
trey to the second round, A's suit is blocked. Again: — 



.5. 4. 






1. — A leads 7; C plays ace; B plays 3; D plays 2. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 6; C trumps; B plays qu; D 
plays 5. 

If B plays the 4, A's suit of five is blocked. Note 
that the play of the queen does not deceive A; on the 
contrary, B's unblocking play of the qu, in this instance, 
enables A to place the suit; for if B held qu, 4 only, he 
would not have played the qu; if the qu, 10, 4, he would 
have played the 10, consequently the k, 4 are marked in 
B's hand and the 10 in D's. D cannot have the k un- 



232 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



less he began a call upon the second round, holding k, 
10, 5, 4, 2, originally of the suit. When the suit is next 
led, B plays king, and A's suit is cleared. Or again: — 




B 



■?• "5* *T* * 

♦** V 

4* 4*] 4* 4* 



4* 4* 

4* 
4- + 



D 



* 4* 

4* 4* 
4* * 



* 1 

1 




* 


> 


►j. 


:♦ 




* 



i. — A leads 6; C plays qu; B plays k; D plays ace. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 2; C trumps; B plays 10; D 
plays 4. 

B is marked with the knave, 3, D the 5. When the 
suit is next led, B plays knave, and, if he discards from 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



233 



the suit, he throws the kn, and A's suit is unblocked. 
Once more: — 



A A [A A 1 [A A [A A 

A A 

^** A A a'a A A 

4; 4^ 4» 4* 1 4* 4*1 1 4* *fr 



* * «* 



B 



D 




■?* • *5* *5* *i* ■?• "i* 

* * A 



i. — A leads 4; C plays 3; B plays 6; D plays k. 

2. — D leads ace; A plays 2; C plays qu; B plays 7. 

Here B plays his lowest card although A has shown a 
suit of five cards, for B's three cards are in sequence. 
If they block A's suit, no play will avoid it, and any 
card but the lowest may possibly deceive A, where there 
is no occasion for it. 



234 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Unblockmg on the Third Round. 

When third hand holds exactly four cards, one high 
and three small ones, he may find it expedient to 
unblock on the third round. 

Suppose the following case: — 



4* L 4* 

+ * 



* 



C 



I) 



| * 



4' A 4» 

4* ' 4» 

*.* 

» 4* . 


'4* 4* 
4* 4« 


♦♦♦ 

4* 4* 
4* 

4» 4* 


4* 4* 
4" 4* 



i. — A leads 8; C plays k; B plays 2; D plays 4. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 10; C plays ace; B plays 3; 
D plays 5. 

3 (A to lead). — A leads 9; C trumps; B plays qu; D 
discards. 

A, by the lead of the 10 after 8, shows the quart to 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 235 

knave and one small, and B properly plays the qu to 
the third round and clears the suit for A. It may happen 
that A does not, as here, lead a lower card on the second 
round than he did on the first, but, if B can read that he 
has five or more, he plays to unblock either on the second 
or third round of the suit. B will unblock, though he 
may hold only three cards of the suit originally. Take 
the example last illustrated, giving A the trey also, and 
then: — 

1. — A leads 8; C plays k; B plays 2; D plays 4. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 9; C plays ace; B plays qu; 
D plays 5. 

A shows the quart sequence, six in suit, and B gets 
rid of the command by throwing the queen. A cannot 
place the 7, but showing B six in suit, he should read 
that B would play just as he did, holding the qu, 7. 
Besides, if B plays the 7, A is in the dark as to the 
location of the queen, and his suit is blocked. 

SUMMARY. 

The salient features of the unblocking game may be 
summed up as follows: — 

High Card Led Originally. 

1. When ace, queen, knave, ten or nine is led origin- 
ally, third hand with any four cards of the suit exactly, 
plays his third-best card to the first round — retaining his 
lowest card. 

2. If leader, second or fourth hand continues the suit, 
third hand plays his second best card. 

3. To the third round, third hand plays the higher or 



236 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

lower of his two remaining cards, as the fall to the pre- 
vious rounds may demand. 

4. If third hand returns the suit — having played his 
third-best to the first trick — he leads the highest of his 
three remaining cards. 

5. If third hand discards from the suit, he discards the 
middle card. 

6. Third hand wishing to call, and also prepare to 
unblock, plays his second-best card to the first trick, and 
his third-best card to the second round of the suit. 

7. Third hand must abandon the call or the unblock- 
ing tactics, if the play of the second-best card to the first 
round may endanger a trick. 

8. When third hand plays his third-best card to the 
first trick, and his second-best card to the second trick, 
he does not call, if he abandons his unblocking play 
on the third round — throwing his small card. 

9. When king is led, third hand does not unblock, but 
plays his lowest card. 

Low Card Led Originally. 

10. When a lower card than the nine is led third hand, 
not attempting to win the trick or call for trumps, plays 
his lowest card to the first round. 

11. To the second round of the suit third hand, hold- 
ing four of the suit originally, plays his middle card — 
holding cards that may block the leader's suit, — if he 
can read at the time that the leader led from five or 
more cards in suit originally. 

12. Third hand does not unblock on the second round 
of the suit, when his three cannot possibly block, or 
when they are such cards that no play will prevent them 
from blocking the leader's suit. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 237 

13. Third hand will unblock on the second or third 
round of the suit whenever the play demonstrates that 
the leader is longer in the suit than he is, even though 
he held but three cards originally, provided the unblock- 
ing play does not endanger a trick in the suit. 



J3's Play when A is not the Original Leader of the 
Hand. 

So far the analysis of third-hand play has been based 
upon the assumption that A was the original leader of 
the hand; consequently the card led was supposed to be 
strictly conventional, as prescribed in the Table of Leads, 
therefore, the play laid down as proper for B is all sub- 
ject to this condition. 

When A is not the original leader of the hand, but 
gains possession of the lead early in the play of the 
hand, he is supposed to lead conventionally if he opens 
a fresh suit, should nothing exceptional have occurred in 
the few rounds that have been played; and B's play in 
the suit proceeds upon the assumption that A has not 
played irregularly; e.g.: — 

1. — C leads 4; B plays 2; D plays qu; A plays k. 

If A now opens a fresh suit, he is supposed to lead the 
same as if he was the first of all to lead. There is noth- 
ing in the fall to this round to indicate that A would 
lead irregularly, and B should play much the same as if 
A was the original leader. If A opens a suit with a 
high card, B reads him for the conventional holding, and 
plays as explained in the previous pages. 

If, however, A comes into the lead after several rounds 
have been played, his play must be read subject to the 
information the previous play has afforded. For ex- 



238 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ample: If the opponents have led trumps, and have a 
plain suit declared, A may lead the queen, knave or ten 
as a strengthening card from the highest of three for the 
benefit of B's supposed suit, in preference to opening his 
own medium strong suit. The fall of the cards to the 
rounds that have been played, before A gains the lead, 
will usually enable B to judge of the probability of irre- 
gular play upon A's part. Furthermore, if A opens with 
a high card like the qu, kn, 10 or 9, C's play to the card, 
in conjunction with the cards B has in the suit, will 
nearly always show if the lead be irregular. 

The high-card leads, as now advised, are so pro- 
nounced in character, that B is almost always able to 
detect an unconventional lead. If, for example, A leads 
9, B with ace or 10, or qu and kn, knows the lead is 
forced; or 10 led, B with k or kn; kn led, B holding qu 
or k, etc. A will rarely open a fresh suit with an 8 or 
lower card, except it is the usual fourth-best. When an 
8, 7 or 6 is led as the best card of the suit, B will usually 
detect it, for, unless the opponents have the strength in 
the suit, B can read that it cannot be a fourth-best card 
(see Eight Leads, page 25), and to do this he need not 
have of necessity all the higher cards, as — 8 led, B, with 
ace, 9 or 10, 9, knows the lead is forced. 

Rules and maxims for play cannot be formulated to 
meet exceptional cases, and after the first few rounds of 
a hand individual ingenuity, judgment and whist per- 
ception must be exercised. 

The Play in Trumps. 

Third-hand play in trumps is radically different from 
third-hand play in plain suits. The conditions are not 
the same. In plain suits A plays to make his long small 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 239 

cards, and B's play is to assist at the outset, and not 
hinder or defeat him at the finish. In trumps the long 
cards must make. Underplay, finessee, holding up and 
irregular leads and plays enter largely into the play of 
trumps, and inferences cannot be drawn so rigidly as in 
plain suits. As B cannot block A's trump suit, he con- 
sequently plays without taking this feature into con- 
sideration at all. His principal object is to assist A in 
exhausting the opponents, and at the same time inform 
A of his exact numerical strength as early in the play as 
possible. B is permitted to finesse much more deeply 
in trumps than in plain suits, from the fact that the 
winning trumps must make; besides, the leader will often 
lead from the highest of three cards. B may unblock in 
trumps to avoid taking the lead on the last round of 
trumps, or it may happen that B may block A in his 
effort to draw the trumps, and this B should be on the 
alert to avoid. 

(For full analysis of third-hand play in trumps, see 
Chapters on The Echo, and Trumps.) 



240 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER V. 



FOURTH HAND. 



The fourth-hand player who thinks he must take 
every trick that comes to him, simply because he can take 
it, has much to learn, and much to unlearn. There is 
no chair at the whist table in which an automaton may 
sit. The player fourth hand must know when, and when 
not, to take. He must know that a great game is some- 
times made by taking a trick his partner has already 
won, or passing the opportunity to take a trick although 
in his power to do so. It may happen that the only pos- 
sible way to make or save a game, is by fourth hand pass- 
ing two, three or more tricks in succession, any one of 
which might have been taken. Fourth hand may have 
to overtrump his partner's trick, or undertrump his ad- 
versary's. He may have a trump too many, or some 
high card that he must throw away. 

A great game is often made by the insidious play and 
beautiful finesse of fourth hand. The student will 
understand that in the great majority of cases fourth 
hand does take the trick if he can; but it should be im- 
pressed upon his mind that he must be on the alert for 
the exceptional situations, so that when they come to him 
in practice, he may not miss the better play. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



241 



A few examples will illustrate this. Suppose this 
case : — 





!* * * * 


©• E> 


I+ + + + 


. . 


A^il? 3 






£> £> 
E> E> €> £>l 


*_11p 


LSili 










* * 

* 

4. 4. 


4. 


* 
* 



B 



1) 



A 







* 




* 




* 


/» 






4. 


4» . 4» 




4. 4. 








4» 4. 


+ _.* 






^H 




<? S? 


9 


s? 


0-|W 






9 










<p 9 


9 





SPIK 


* * * 
* * 


|||§§1P 




►f. * * 


l<3 <3 <3<3 
<3 <3 <3 <3 


-J. >Jo -J. 

* 




* * * 


<3 <3 <3 

<3 <3 
<3 <3 <3 




* * 






* * 


<3 <3 <3 
<3 <3 <3 



A turned 3 h; these two suits only are given, as they 



242 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

will illustrate the point. D has a great suit of d; A 
of s. 

i. — C leads k c; B plays 2; D plays 7; A plays 6. 

A here refuses to take the trick; he suspects that D 
may be calling; and if he can induce C to lead a trump 
up to his major tenace, it will be to his advantage. 

2. — C leads 10 c; B plays 3; D plays 4; A plays 9. 

A passes again; D completes the call; C gives D the 
ace and 8 of clubs — B the 5. 

3. — C leads kn h; B plays 5; D plays 7; A plays 3. 

A still refuses to take, as C is unconsciously playing 
A's game, for A wants the trumps out that he may bring 
in his great spade suit. 

4. — C leads ioh; B plays 6; D plays 8; A plays 4. 

A passes for the fourth time; C must have the 2 h, and 
he will most surely lead it, for he cannot well read A's 
persistent holding up. 

5. — C leads 2 h; B discards; D plays 9; A plays qu. 

A now draws D's last trump and makes his great spade 
suit and the ace of clubs. This is an exaggerated case 
of holding up, but it illustrates the possibilities of the 
game. D could have countered on A's strategy in the 
above case by covering C's 10 with king. D should have 
read A's play, for he could give him the ace of c and the 
ace of h. C could not easily divine A's intent, but D 
could; and had he put on the k at trick four, A would 
have been forced to take; if he had not, D would have 
gone on with his diamonds forcing A. A had nothing to 
lose by his play, and all to gain, and D permitted it to be 
successful. This makes evident the fact that you must be 
on the alert for this strategy and meet it if in your 
power. Here is a simple case: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



243 



4, 4, 




4. 4. 
4. 4. 




4. 




B 



D 



* 
* 


4. * 
* * 




* 








* 



4. 




4, ' 4. 
•?•.■?■ 

*** 




4- 4* 
4. 4. 



1. — C leads k; B plays 3; D plays 5; A plays 4. 

Now, if C reads D with the ace, and goes on with 2, A 
gains a trick; if he properly follows with kn, A does not 
lose by holding up the first round. Again: — 




H4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — C leads qu; B plays 5; D plays 6; A plays 2. 

2. — C leads 4; B plays 8; D plays 10; A plays kn. 

A's underplay here leaves him with the perfect tenace, 
and C continuing the suit gives A a trick. 

Fourth hand may refuse to take the first trick if he 
suspects that his partner is calling. Take this case: — 



* * ■* 

4. »j- .».. 



* 



4» v * 
+.1* 

*** 




*4* 

4. 4. 




* 
4. 

4> 

* 



B 



D 



IIP 


Hi 


SP^ 






i* 





4. 4. 4> 4. 
4, 4. 

•?• +] 4» •!• 



1. — C leads 2; B plays 7; D plays qu; A plays 4. 

2. — D leads k; A plays ace; C plays 8; B plays 3. 

A is now in to answer B's request for trumps, and a 
great game may result. 

Late in hand, fourth hand may sometimes hold up to 
great advantage. If C, in an ending, leads the kn, hold- 
kn, 9, 4, A, with qu, 8, 3, must refuse to take or lose a 
trick. 

You must bear in mind that to successfully underplay, 
you must have a keen perception and a full understand- 
ing of the situation. Care must be taken that you do 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 245 

not carry such finesse to excess, for it is the exception, 
not the rule, for fourth hand to pass the trick. Most 
players fourth hand take the trick if they can do so, and 
never give the situation a thought — they seize the instant 
trick; the keen player is on the alert and is looking be- 
yond the present trick for the one trick that may be 
gained by finesse — for the one trick commonplace, rou- 
tine play will not yield. There is more merit in gaining 
a single trick — by well-judged underplay or any other 
species of finesse — that does not by common play belong 
to the cards than there is in winning a thousand games 
with master hands. 



246 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

CHAPTER VI. 

TRUMPS. 

Perhaps the most difficult problems that whist offers 
to the player are the management of trumps. Only most 
thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the game will 
enable a player to make the most of his trumps. Trumps 
are the controlling factors in the game, and their proper 
handling is to every whist player, no matter how profi- 
cient, a matter of profound mental concern. They are 
the ordnance — the heavy guns — in the engagement, and 
after you have silenced the enemy with them you may 
gather in the fruits of victory with your established suits. 
It follows that it is a waste of ammunition aud poor 
generalship to fire off your "artillery" early in the fight, 
unless you have a specific purpose in view. The only 
object you should have in disarming your opponents — ■ 
partner as well, — of trumps is to make good your long 
suits. If you have no master cards to make, it is, as a 
rule, better to keep your batteries masked for the 
middle or end play, or until the master cards have de- 
clared their presence in partner's hand. Familiarity with 
the best play will convince you that to always lead 
trumps because you happen to hold five or six, or never 
to lead them when you hold but two or three, or even 
one, is not the best whist. With the best players, trumps 
are used only for distinct purposes. The object in lead- 
ing trumps must be apparent from the hand or developed 
by the play. No inflexible rules can be formulated to 
direct their proper management. The fine points occur- 
ring in a hand at whist, cannot be provided for by set 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 247 

rules, but must be met by the ingenuity and originality 
of the player. 

There is no test of skill so absolute as the aptitude 
displayed by a player in handling his trumps. The 
whist player must select the proper moment for a trump 
lead. A trick too soon or a round too late may ruin a 
great game. The correct management of trumps is by 
far the most difficult thing in whist strategy, and few 
players ever become proficient in this regard. 

Five Trumps. 

" When you have five trumps, it is always right to lead 
them." This old rule for trump leading has many excep- 
tions. Always- and never are not safe words to use 
in formulating whist rules. When used they should 
be supposed to mean "nearly always" and "rarely 
ever." When to lead trumps, as the original lead 
of the hand holding just five trumps, is at times 
a difficult problem. It is nearly always right to lead 
trumps when the trump suit is your only long suit, be- 
cause if you are weak in all the plain suits it is only fair 
to presume that your partner is so much the more likely 
to be strong in them. It is rarely good play to open a 
suit of less than four cards as the original lead of the 
hand. Suppose you hold any five trumps, three small in 
two suits, and two small cards in the third suit — you must, 
as a rule lead trumps, no matter what they are; any other 
lead will deceive your partner, and besides, as a rule, 
you cannot put your trumps to better use. Your chances 
for making any of your small trumps by ruffing are very 
slight; you must follow to three rounds in two of the 
plain suits, and you can hardly expect to find partner 
short in the same suits that you are short in. Such 
hands, however, may be classed as exceptional. In the 



248 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

majority of cases you will have at least a four-card suit 
apart from the trump suit. It may be laid down as a 
rule that as the original lead of the hand, the trump suit 
must be led if it be the only suit in the hand of more 
than three cards. Occasionally your short suits in such 
hands may be composed of cards which make it expe- 
dient to depart from the above rule; but, apart from this, 
the rule holds good, and this phase of the question may 
be dismissed. This leaves open for consideration those 
problematical hands in which just five trumps are held, 
and concerning which there is a difference of opinion as 
to the advisability of a trump lead, as the first lead of 
all. The writer believes that in many cases there is 
a better lead than the trump lead for the original lead. 
Suppose, as original leader, you hold five trumps (hearts); 
ace and four small, diamonds; two small clubs; and a 
small spade. You should open your fourth-best d and 
await developments. Again — you hold five trumps 
(hearts); ace, k, kn, and small d; two small each in s and 
c. You open with k d showing your suit, then a trump 
if you deem it best. It is generally best with any five 
trumps to show your suit first, especially if not longer 
than five cards. Holding five fair trumps and one good 
suit, sayk, kn, 10 and one small, and small in the other 
suits, it is generally best to open the plain suit. If part- 
ner has strength in the suit he will lead trumps, even if 
weak in them, provided he has a helping hand in the 
other suits. If you lead trumps first, from a hand as 
cited, before you have in a measure established your 
suit, you are likely to play the opponents' game. An 
attempt to bring in a long suit with only a moderate 
proportion of high cards, and holding only five fair 
trumps, and no re-entry cards in the other suits, fails 
oftener than it succeeds. It is almost sure to fail if vou 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 249 

lead trumps before effecting, at least in part, the estab- 
lishment of the long suit, and this is especially true if 
you do not have cards of re-entry in the other suits. 

Bringing in long suits is very pretty work in theory, 
but in cold practice — with two shrewd adversaries on the 
alert to make their long suits — it fails as often as it suc- 
ceeds. A and B must not forget that C and D have 
their long suits, and that in every hand there are three 
long suits, only one of which may be made. While A B 
are striving to make their suit, C D are equally as intent 
at making theirs. The struggle is usually about equal, 
and the forces meeting, the result is a compromise, each 
in turn throwing away the long cards. Long suits are 
made under two conditions: (i) when you have great 
strength, and (2) when the opponents make them for 
you owing to their futile attempt to make their own. 
Rash, speculative trump play, before development of 
suit, commonly results in disaster. When extra risks are 
run to make your suit, you are apt to finish by finding 
that the opponents have made theirs. It is perfectly 
proper to make every effort within the lines of safety to 
bring in your long suit, but it must not be forgotten that 
this object is only one feature of many at Long Whist. 

It is safe to say that with five moderate trumps, you 
do not lead trumps first of all, unless you have strength in 
at least two suits, or in one with guards in the others 
against the possible early establishment of them by the 
enemy. Rather than "always lead trumps from five," 
simply because you have five, you would better never 
lead from five fair trumps, as the original lead of the 
hand, for it will nearly always be best to first show your 
suit or lead from it, with the idea of first establishing it, 
or bring it to such a point that one round will clear it up. 
It is understood that the cards composing your short 



250 ■ MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

suits have very much to do with the question of leading 
trumps as an original lead. As an illustration, suppose 
a hand like this — s kn, 10, 8, 4, 2 (trumps); h k, 10, 8, 
7, 6; c ace, k; d ace. Here you would unhesitatingly 
lead the 4 of trumps as the original lead of the hand as 
your re-entry cards in clubs and diamonds will aid you in 
your effort to establish the hearts. But suppose in the 
above hand you have two small clubs and a small dia- 
mond, it changes the whole aspect of the hand and 
weakens it so materially that your chances of making the 
heart suit are very slim, and your safest play is to open 
the hand with the 7 of hearts. 

Let it always be remembered that the usual denoue- 
ment of an abortive attempt to bring in your long suit, 
is that the enemy brings in his ! The means you adopt 
for bringing in your suit are the very tactics your ad- 
versary would have adopted. Before you enter upon so 
forward a game as an attempt to make your suit with 
only moderate strength in trumps, you should carefully 
consider the situation; the liability of being forced; the 
guards you hold in your weak suits, etc., etc. If you do 
succeed in getting out trumps and are left with the long 
trump, it will be of little use to you unless you are in the 
lead at the time, and your suit is within one round of 
being cleared up. If your opponents are in the lead, your 
suit must be established; if the suit is not established, 
you may be obliged to use your last trump for possession 
of the lead, and if you have no re-entry card, the oppon- 
ents make their suit. The making of a long suit is not 
the aim of every hand. In the majority of hands no long 
suit is brought in, and the victory goes with the correct 
play and finesse in all the suits. It will not do to attempt 
to always make your long suit, nor to play with that ob- 
ject in view. Unless you have such strength as to justify 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 25 1 

you in playing such a forward game, it is much safer to 
adopt more defensive tactics. When you come to your 
first lead after a round or more has been played, you do 
or do not lead trumps, as the character of your hand 
and the fall warrant. With great strength in trumps — 
six or more — you are nearly always in position to have 
them led when you care to bring them out, and nothing 
is lost, if you first judiciously reconnoitre the forces of 
the enemy. While you do not " invariably " lead trump, 
holding six or more, yet you nearly always should, for 
you are so strong that you are almost certain to be left 
with at least two long trumps, and you can control the 
finish. 

Four Trumps. 

Holding four trumps and three cards each in the plain 
suits, it is, as a rule, best to lead a trump. If your 
partner is weak in all the plain suits, you will not make 
many tricks, in any event. Partner will usually be able 
to read the situation, and if he wins the first trick he will 
not return your lead, unless it is best for his hand to 
have trumps come out. As an original lead you do not 
lead from four trumps, if you have any other suit of four 
or more cards, unless you have fair strength in all the 
plain suits or four very good trumps and a great suit, and 
are in danger of being forced in one of the weak suits. 

For instance: ace, k, qu and small (trump); ace, k, qu, 
kn and two small, and small in the other two suits. You 
leak the k of trumps and follow with the qu, and if all 
follow suit you can safely go on with the ace and then 
with your great suit, and, unless you find five trumps in 
one hand against you, you will bring in the long suit. 
Again : Holding any four trumps and commanding cards 



252 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

in all the plain suits, you may safely lead trumps at 
once, for no suit can be brought in against you, and the 
trump lead will protect your master cards from being 
trumped by the weak trump hand of the enemy. In 
such cases as this, you do not lead trumps with the idea 
of exhausting trumps, as much as a protection against 
ruffing. 

Less than Four Trumps. 

In exceptional hands you may lead from three or even 
two trumps; and when you do, lead the highest. Partner 
will read you with command in all the suits, and if he 
wins the trick he will go on even if weak, for he has no 
fear of the plain suits, knowing that you can look after 
them, as you would never lead trumps from less than 
four, unless unusually strong in all the suits. But as a 
rule, show partner the suit you mean to play for before 
you lead from less than four trumps. It is in cases like 
this that you are justified in leading the ace of trumps 
single ; that is the only singleton that is ever led as the 
original lead of the hand. Your justification for the 
lead of the ace of trumps single is that you have com- 
manding cards in all the plain suits, and leading the ace 
and not continuing — partner thus reads the play. You 
may lead any singleton in trump, especially if it is one 
that partner will finesse, like the kn, 10, 9, for instance, 
after you have shown him your great suit or suits. To 
illustrate : You hold — s ace, k, qu, kn ; c ace, k, kn, 3 ; 
d ace, qu, kn, 8 and 10 of hearts (trump). Open with 
your king of clubs, then 10 of trumps, and partner will 
play for your hand, and no harm can come from your 
singleton lead. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



2 53 



Keep Command of Trumps. 

In your management of trumps do not forget that it 
makes a vast difference who is in the lead when the last 
trump is played. Suppose you have four trumps — ace, k, 
4, 3 — if you open with the honors, you give up control; 
but if you open with small, you give partner a chance to 
win the first round for you with a comparatively small 
card, say knave or io. You cannot well lose by such 
play; you will take but two tricks in the suit if partner 
has no high card, and it is much better to keep control 
and have command at the end. You cannot hope to 
draw all the high cards in two rounds, and then find 
partner with the long small ones. This would be 
exceptional, and if you play for the exceptional, you will 
lose, except in rare cases. 

Here is a case in point: — 



■5* • •? *5* "r 
* * A 

*** 

4» 4» 4* ■?■ 





c 


B 
A 


D 


-V * * 
* 4- * 




+ * *| 

* 
* * * 






The 4 turned with D. 



254 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — A leads k; C plays 6; B plays 5; D plays 4. 

2.— A leads ace; C plays 7; B plays 10; D plays 8. 

3. — A leads 2; C discards; B plays qu; D plays 9. 

A plays as badly here as possible, and even after find- 
ing B with the qu, 10, the opponents make a trick in 
trumps; and, what may be worse than all, A will not be 
in the lead when the last trump is played. D, if he gains 
the lead, will now draw A's last trump; and if D has a 
great suit he makes it — i. e., A made it for him. If A, in 
this instance, was playing for a great suit, his play might 
cost him — in the event of C D having a great suit — 
several tricks. On the other hand: — 

1. — A leads 2; C plays 6; B plays qu; D plays 4. 

2. — B leads 10; D plays 8; A plays k; C plays 7. 

A does not finesse here against the kn. In trumps you 
are justified in finessing more deeply and more frequently 
than in plain suits. But A knows that B has the 5, and 
he reads that D should not have the kn, 9. A now draws 
the third round of trumps, and then goes on with his 
great suit, forcing D eventually to play his last trump, 
and A is left with the thirteenth trump for re-entry. The 
student who is observant will have noticed that D is 
made to play badly at trick two, by giving A the option 
of the finesse. On the return of the 10 by B, D holding 
the fourchette (and the 8 also) should, of course, cover 
the 10. 

Leading Trumps for Benefit of Great Suits. 

It frequently occurs that you lead trumps from two 
or three, for the protection of one or more great suits 
developed by the play. Your partner can nearly always 
divine that your trump lead is the highest of three — 
possibly the higher of two — and in such cases may be 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



255 



justified in very deep finesse. You must not jump at the 
conclusion that he, too, is weak, if he passes your lead 
or finesses deeply, and on this account discontinue the 
trump lead, if you get in again. Take this case: 









B 




c 


A 


D 




* 


* 


* 


* ■ 


J> 


* 


* 


•:• 




* 


* 


* 




+ 


* 


* 


* 




* 


* 


►«. 


* 




* 



The 10 turned with B. 

1. — A leads 9; C plays 2; B plays 3; D plays 5. (C 
should have played kn.) 

B passes the 9 and would not play well if he did not. 
He knows that A has led his best trump, and although 
both k, kn are against, the chances are all in favor of 
passing. As the cards lie, C D cannot take a trick in the 



256 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



suit. Had C put on kn, B would have played qu and 
would not have returned the suit. Or asrain: — 




*** 

A 4. 
•J. 

4. 4. 


4> 4. 



1. — A leads 8; C plays 2; B plays 3; D plays 9. 

Here the finesse is against four cards, but B would not 
play well to put up either ace or kn, unless he wishes to 
force two rounds at once. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 4; C plays 5; B plays 7; D 
plays 10. 

The trumps lie as disadvantageously as possible for B, 
but there is no help for it; he must keep control of the 
suit, and at best he could take but one trick if he puts 
up the ace first round. B reads A's 8 as the better of two, 
possibly the highest of three, and when A leads the 4, B 
knows that seven trumps were originally against them, 
and that four (at least) must be in one hand. If he parts 
with control the result must be disastrous — nothing could 
be worse. As: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



257 



i. — A leads 8; C plays 2; B plays ace, D plays 9. 

If B continues the lead the wreck is complete, and if 
he does not, C will, if he gets in, lead through B, and B 
has not another trick in the suit. C can read that A's 
lead of the 8 is from the head of two or three. The fall 
shows that A has not the ace, k or 9, consequently the 
8 cannot be a fourth-best. In such situations as the one 
last illustrated, finesse deeply and kept control as long 
as possible. If the cards lie fortunately you may gain 
the single trick that gives you the odd card. This for 
example: — 



A 


.♦. . Al 

*** 


a a 

A A 
*** 

* * 


* 




T. V V V *I* 

A 

*i* *J* "l* ^l 6 *i* 



i. — A leads 8; C plays 5; B plays 2; D plays k. 

Here the finesse is a clear gain of a trick. B reasons 
that the 8 must force an honor or win the trick, and that 
if he puts up the ace he can take but the single trick, 
besides the control of the trumps is at once with the op- 



258 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ponents, and nothing could be worse. B makes no at- 
tempt to echo here, as in such situations a trick may be 
lost by the attempt. (See Echo.) 

Finesse in Trumps. 

From the foregoing examples it will be seen that at 
times finesse in trumps should be deep, and that you do 
not give up control. When partner leads trumps origin- 
ally, showing only four, it is often right to finesse against 
one card, and sometimes you may finesse against two. 
The state of the score and the character of your hand 
has much to do with it. If you have a hand that is 
good to be led up to, it is usually advantageous to 
finesse, for if your finesse fails you must then be last 
player to the next trick. If you have fair strength in all 
the plain suits, and partner's lead shows four only, 
you may be pretty sure that this is his only four-card 
suit, and you should finesse deeply if your hand justifies 
it. To the lead of the deuce or any small card that 
enables you to read that partner has led trumps from 
four cards only, you holding any of the following — ace, 
kn, 10 and small ; ace, kn and two small; k, kn and one 
or more ; k, 10, 9 and small ; k, 10 and two small ; qu, 
10, 9 and small, or qu, 10 and two small, it is judicious 
to sometimes finesse the kn, 10 or 9, as the case may be. 
If a medium low card is led, say the 5 or 6, you must be 
more careful how you finesse, for partner may have a 
great suit and five or more trumps. You can judge of 
his hand in a great many ways by your own ; if you have, 
for instance, the king of each plain suit, you know that 
he has no suit established from the start. So much de- 
pends upon the character of your hand and the rank of 
the card led, that it is difficult to give instructions in 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 259 

finesse without this data. If your partner has first 
shown his great suit and then leads trumps from prob- 
able fair strength in them, there is less room for finesse. 
Partner may be anxious to have two or three rounds 
come out at once, especially if your left hand opponent 
is marked with more of partner's great suit, and your 
right hand adversary probably short of the suit. In this 
case, if your finesse fails, your enemy may lead your 
partner's great suit, and it may be trumped. On the 
other hand, if it is C that is long, and D void of partner's 
great suit, the danger just referred to is absent, and you 
can finesse with more justification. This is especially so 
if you feel sure of being able to take the next trick led 
by D, in case your finesse goes to him, as in this event 
you can then lead him the card you held up as a strength- 
ening card — if you deem it best. Such conditions as 
these and hundreds of others enter into the matter of 
finesse in trumps, and either modify it or render finessing 
out of the question. If partner leads trumps for the 
evident intent of checking a ruff or see-saw, you do not, 
as a rule, risk even the major tenace finesse, but put up 
your best with the idea of forcing two rounds at once. 

Be on the Alert to Lead Trumps when the Situation 
Warrants it. 

The best players do not make use of the arbitrary call 
for trumps except in rare cases {see Call), and you must 
be on the alert to lead trumps when the situation demands 
it. A trick too soon, or a round too late, may utterly 
ruin a great game. You may have a hand that does not 
demand a trump lead, and yet the first card your partner 
plays or leads may make it imperative that you lead a 
trump at once. Suppose you hold: — h ace, 5, 4, 3 



260 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

(trumps); s ace, k, qu, 6; d k, 10, 9; c ace, 9. Partner 
leads the kn of clubs; you play your ace upon his knave, 
lead the king of spades to show your suit and then the 3 
of trumps. Had your partner led the deuce of c, it 
would have made a big difference in your game, but the 
moment you saw partner had a great club suit, you must 
lead trumps at once. Again: — Suppose your left-hand 
opponent opens the hand with the ace of plain suit, your 
partner throws king; with any four trumps you should 
lead trumps at your first opportunity. Partner playing 
the king shows that he has only three suits with twelve 
cards in his hand; these suits must be numerically strong 
at least, and one of them is the trump suit. Such a hand 
demands a trump in nearly every instance. Once more: 
— B deals and turns the 3 s; D opens the hand with the 
3 h; A plays 8; C plays 2; B plays 7. A's hand is — s 
kn, 10; h ace, qu, 9, 8; c ace, qu; d 10, 9, 8, 7, 3. A 
should now lead the kn of spades, although he holds but 
the kn and 10. It may result in a great game, and the 
distribution of the cards must be very unusual if harm 
comes from it. D shows but four hearts, probably k or 
kn at the head, and there is not a trick for him in the 
suit — most likely. If D's best suit is hearts, and it is 
presumed that it is, his hand is marked as weak. The fall 
of the two of h from C proclaims his hand as probably nu- 
merically strong in the other suits — it is true — but A will 
be leading through this hand up to the weak. B will 
read A's play of the kn and will, of course, pass, know- 
ing that A is playing for the heart suit. If the kn wins 
A follows with the 10 s, which, if C does not cover, B 
will also pass. For A to have opened clubs or returned 
the heart suit would have been out of the question ; A 
might, it is true, play the more conservative game, and 
open the 7 d, but the game is worth the risk of a trump 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 261 

lead. In such a case as this, when you have the com- 
mand of a suit, you should generally lead trumps to pro- 
tect it, even if weak in trumps. Take this case : — A 
deals and turns 4 s; C opens with the qu d ; B plays kn 
d; D plays 3 d; A wins with the ace. A holds: — s 10, 9, 
4; h ace, qu, 6, y, c k, 10, 9; d ace, 10, 9. A should 
lead the 10 of trumps — the situation demands it. If B 
is not calling, he has but three suits in his hand, one of 
which is the trump suit. If B is weak in trumps then he 
is unusually strong in hearts and clubs. A's hand and 
the fall justifies him in giving B long trumps. If, as be- 
fore stated, B is short in trumps then the opponents must 
be long, and if A does not lead them C or D will, and 
while it is possible to arrange the cards so that a trump 
lead by A will lose, as against the lead of the heart, yet 
the chances are all in favor of the forward game. Here 
is another instance demonstrating the propriety of a 
trump lead, the necessity of which is made evident by a 
single round: — The 9 d turned by D; A leads qu c, from 
ace, k, qu, 10, 9 ; s ace, kn, to, 5, 4, 2 ; d 10, 8, and no 
hearts — C plays 3 c ; B plays 8 c; D plays kn c. The 
fall shows A that B has no more clubs or is calling. The 
inference is that B is long in trumps and hearts. It is 
highly improbable that B is long in spades — A hav- 
ing six. A has the ace, kn, 10 of spades as re-entry 
cards, and the situation demands that A should lead the 
10 d. B is almost sure to read the play and will pass the 
10, if he is not strong enough to take. For further ex- 
amples illustrating this principle see "The Call." 

Late Trump Leads. 

When partner leads trumps in the middle hand, such a 
lead usually implies that he sees a fair opportunity to 



262 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

make master cards in his hand or marked in yours, or he 
hopes to bring in the long cards of the suit. You will 
generally do better to husband your strength in trumps 
by fair finesse, for you run great risk of giving up con- 
trol if the trumps are evenly matched. These late leads 
of, or signals for, trumps do not carry with them so 
peremptory a command as those made early in the hand, 
and you are more at liberty to use your own judgment 
and discretion. Late in hand partner says to you, by 
such a lead or ask: " I think best to feel the enemy in 
the trump suit, as we have some master cards to protect, 
but husband your strength, if you think best." 

You are expected to return partner's early lead of 
trumps, usually, in preference to every other play. To 
be sure, you may first show him your great suit. The 
exceptions to this rule are: (1) When partner has led 
trumps from four, simply because it was his only four- 
card suit; (2) when you win the trick cheaply, and it is 
demonstrable that your right-hand opponent must hold 
over your partner with a strong tenace, (3) when an 
honor is up to your right, and you win by deep finesse; 
(4) when partner has led from evident weakness and 
finds you weak, There may be other conditions under 
which you would be justified in not returning your 
partner's lead of trumps, but these are the chief ones, 

Show Partner Your Suit. 

If partner calls, and if, at the time you get in, you 
have not shown partner your suit, do so; also, if partner 
leads trumps, and you win the first round, you may, 
before you return the lead, show him your suit. To do 
this you must, of course, lead a winning card in it, and 
you must take care that it is not so long that it is likely 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



263 



to be trumped the first round, or draw the only card 
partner has of the suit. This last feature — the proba- 
bility of drawing partner's only card — is to be especially 
avoided, if you have no re-entry card. The play is 
often of great benefit to partner. Suppose that the 
remainder of strength in trumps is with your left hand 
adversary, partner winning the first round cheaply, he 
will not return the lead, but will give you your suit, that 
you may again lead through the opponent. The follow- 
ing is an illustration: — 



OOOO 
o 

OOOO 



IOOOO 
I o o 

IOOOO 




4*jl4* 

4*'4» 

*** 
*** 




* 4» 

4* . 4* 
*** 
4- 4- 







c 


B 
A 


D 


f ^ 


lll>] 








0% 


*4* V 
* + 


4* 4* 
4* 4* 
|4j 4^ 


°0° 











4* 4* 



Knave c turned. 



264 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

It matters not about the hearts and spades ; B is in, 
and A has called, B first leads the k d, showing ace and 
two more, and then answers the call with 10 c; A takes 
with qu; knave falling from C. A knows that B has 
led the highest card he has, and can have, at most, 
but two more — thus marking k and at least two more 
with D. It would be very bad whist for A to go on with 
clubs — D must be led through, A therefore gives B his 
suit ; B takes with qu, showing ace, and leads the 9 c 
through D. If D now covers in the hope of making his 
minor tenace, A takes with ace, and again leads a d 
which B takes and once more leads through D, and A B 
make every trick in trumps, although D had k and three 
others. Had B not shown A his suit A might have 
selected hearts or spades, as the suit to let B in on, to 
the loss of several tricks. 

It is often shown by the play that one of the opponents 
is left with a trump after the second round, and it is 
sometimes best not to draw it even if a losing trump, and 
it is rarely good to lead a third round of trumps to draw 
it if a master card, as you are drawing two for one. The 
adverse trump, in this event, must make, and better let 
it make as the opponent cares to have it make, or lead a 
card to " force " its play. Examples will render this 
clear: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



265 



* * + 




* * 

A A 




A A 

* * 


A A 
* 





B 




c 


A 


D 



(A .J. A-| 

I + * I 
'A A A! 



A 


*A*i 
A A 


A A 

•5* •?• 

A A 




A A 
A A 




4- 



1. — A leads 4; C plays kn; B plays 5; D plays 8. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 9; D plays k; A plays ace ; C 
plays 3. 

The fall shows that C has the qu, B the 7. A should 
not go on with another round, for the qu must make. If 
A can lead a card that B can trump, or one that will force 
C, it is the better play. An exception might be — A with 
tenaces in the other suits and desirous of placing the 



266 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



lead with C. Here is a case in which it is best not to 
draw the trump even though a losing one : — 





B 



D 







!°o 



k% 













o o o 
o <> o 



Hearts trumps. 

Trumps were led late in hand for the protection of B's 
spades. The previous play revealed the fact that C has 
the 7, B the g of trumps; A is in, and if he draws C's 
losing trump he does not take another trick. A should 
lead a d, and trust to making the trumps separately. 
These situations are of frequent occurrence, and care 
must be taken or loss will follow. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 267 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE CALL. 



Signaling is a term usually applied only to a deliber- 
ate request for trumps. Whist abounds in signals, and 
each card that falls, from the first to the last, is to some 
extent a signal. There is a silent but incessant conver- 
sation between players who are familiar with the lan- 
guage of cards. 

The simple callfor trumps is given by the play of an 
unnecessarily high card and then a lower one. For in- 
stance, you play the 4 to ace led, and to the king, the 3; 
you reverse the usual order of play. It is a recognized 
convention of the game that you have commanded 
partner to lead you a trump at the first opportunity. 
When you do this — when you ask partner to play your 
game — you should be reasonably certain of making the 
odd trick at least. The mere fact of holding four, five 
or even six trumps is not sufficient reason for issuing 
such an arbitrary command. Your only object in draw- 
ing trumps is to enable you to bring in a long suit, or to 
protect master cards in other suits, and without these 
features of strength you should not call, even though you 
may be strong in trumps. Of. course, if the fall of the 
cards or partner's play develops a strong suit in his 
hand, this changes matters, for you play both hands as 
one, and you will ask for or lead trumps just as promptly 
to make your partner's suit as your own. 



268 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Fine players rarely make use of this signal in its sim- 
plest form. Players with good whist perception will gen- 
erally see the necessity for a trump lead, without waiting 
for this common device of the novice. 

There are many ways of informing an astute partner 
that you desire a trump led. If you pass a doubtful 
card, it indicates you hold four trumps, or three strong 
ones that you think had best not be broken. If you re- 
fuse to be forced by partner, or pass a sure winning card, 
it is a positive call for trumps. The very best trump 
signal is made by a single discard. Suppose A, for ex- 
ample, leads the ace, B plays the 4, A follows with the k, 
B discards an 8 or any high card from the 8 to the ace 
inclusive (A being the original leader of the hand), B 
must want trumps led. It can hardly be otherwise, for 
if B has no card smaller than an 8 to throw away, and 
having but three suits in hand, these are obviously of 
commanding strength, and also numerically strong, one 
of these is the trump suit, and a trump led to such a 
hand must nearly always be advantageous. 

The effectiveness of this trump signal lies in the fact 
that it is made by the play of a single card, and if partner 
is in at the time, the call is answered at once without 
giving the opponents an opportunity of taking advantage 
of the information in any way. If the card so thrown is 
of a suit already opened, it may then be for a definite 
purpose other than a call for trumps, and must be con- 
sidered subject to the previous play of that suit. This 
single-card call by discard is particularly forcible if made 
early in the play of the hand. If made late in the hand 
it is subject to certain modifications made evident by 
the previous play. It may be laid down as a rule 
that, when a player discards an 8 or higher card — of a 
suit not yet in play, — he desires trumps led, and if the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 269 

partner cannot trace the object of this discard to some 
other definite purpose — made evident by the previous 
play — he should read it as a demand upon him to lead 
trumps. 

The best players do not find it necessary to use the 
simple call except in rare cases, but they trump signal 
and read partner's desire for trumps in many ways. The 
necessity for a lead of trumps is often made evident by 
the play of a single card — it may be by the very first card 
partner plays. When partner throws an unusually high 
card the first round, the situation merits due considera- 
tion. Suppose A leads the qu from the ace, k, qu and 
three others; C plays small; B throws the kn; D small; 
B can have no more of the suit or calling. If he has no 
more of the suit his other suits must be strong — numer- 
ically at least, — and A should seriously consider a trump 
lead if he has a fair helping hand. Examine the situa- 
tion: If B is not calling he then has but three suits and 
twelve cards; this means that he has at least two suits of 
four or more cards, or he has one of six or more. A 
fair presumption would be that he has two suits of at 
least four; or say a suit of five, one of four and a three- 
card suit; one of these suits is the trump suit; if he has 
less than three trumps, then he must have two great suits 
— numerically at least. His hand would be very excep- 
tionally constituted if a strengthening trump led by A 
did not benefit him. Again: Suppose C opens the hand 
with k ; B plays 10; D plays small; A, holding ace, kn, 
9 and small of the suit, should take the k, and lead 
trumps if he has even a fair helping hand. The cheapest 
kind of whist that A could play would be to force B, for 
he must want trumps led — almost to a certainty. If B is 
not calling, then he must have numerical strength in the 
other suits, one of which is the trump suit. A has noth- 



270 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ing to fear from C's suit, for at best C can make but two 
tricks in it. If A has only three trumps, or even two, and 
leads the highest, B will read that A is playing for his 
hand, and if B is but moderately strong in trumps he will 
finesse deeply or pass. In the event of B holding only 
two or three trumps, he must then have the other suits 
well in hand, and A must bear in mind that if B, too, is 
short in trumps that they together must have the numer- 
ical strength in the other two suits, and if these suits are 
opened, the opponent who is weak in trumps will trump, 
and the stronger discard; besides if A and B are both 
weak in trumps they must then be long in the other plain 
suits, and their chances of making their short trumps by 
ruffing are practically nil. The lead of trumps by A will 
protect their plain suits, and if it turns out that B is weak 
in trumps, little, if any, harm is done, for in this event no 
play will make many tricks. Suppose, again, that A opens 
the hand with the kn from k, qu, kn and two or more, 
and that B plays a high card — say the 10 or 9 — D win- 
ning with the ace; when A gets in again he should lead 
trumps, if he has any strength at all in trumps. B's 
hand demands it. B cannot be unblocking for the 10 or 
9 must be his best or second-best card. If A goes on 
with his commanding suit it may be trumped, and a 
great game ruined. The point is that if partner throws, 
in the first few rounds of a hand, a high card that dem- 
onstrates that he is either calling or has but three suits 
left in his hand, you should consider well the propriety 
of a trump lead at once, if you get in. It matters not 
whether the card thrown is to your lead or that of an 
opponent; the play is indicative of strength and usually 
demands a trump lead. Players who only lead from 
strength in trumps, and who always lead when they are 
strong in them, are not strong players. The best 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 27 I 

players do not need the trite signal, neither do they 
wait for it to lead tramps for the benefit of partner's 
hand. 

You should be careful about calling while the oppo- 
nents are in the lead; they will see your signal as well as 
partner, and they may play for a ruff, or a cross-ruff, and 
in every way endeavor to take advantage of the informa- 
tion you have published. If you have a likely chance of 
getting in yourself, it is often better to not expose your 
strength until you are in a position to make it effective. 
It may sometimes happen that you start a signal for 
trumps to opponent's lead, and, from the fall of the 
cards, you may be satisfied that it would be dangerous 
to complete it; in such cases you should abandon it. 
For example: A leads k; C plays 4; B plays qu; D plays 
3. A follows with the ace — C started to call in the first 
round, holding 6, 5, 4, 2 — but it would be very imprudent 
to complete it, owing to the information C has received 
from the fall of the cards; A showed four cards only, by 
the lead of the king ; B has no more or calling ; this 
marks three more in D's hand, and if C completes the 
call, it gives A the option of going on with a small one, 
to give B the opportunity of making a small trump; if C 
does not expose his strength, A, if weak in trumps, would 
not force B. 

You may refuse to answer the call, especially if made 
late in hand, if your right-hand opponent also completes 
a call at the same time, or by his play shows strength in 
trumps; as in this event you would be leading up to the 
calling hand. If, however, it is your left-hand adversary 
who has also called, you, of course, lead your best trump 
through him, as the position is in your favor and the 
reverse of the former. 

You may request partner to go on with trumps, even if 



27: 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the opponents have first called or led them. Suppose 
this case: — 



4. •(••(< •{< 

V 



c 



Ml 



4. 4. 
4. 4. 



B 



*** 

4. a 

* * 



D 



4, 4. 




* 



+ +i 



* 4. 4. 



B has the 7 turned. 

1. — D leads 4; A plays 2; C plays 9; B plays 10. 

It is evident that a trump through D will be advan- 
tageous to A , and if B does not take the hint, A may re- 
quest him to play his last trump. Suppose that B now 
opens his suit, leading ace then king — A playing the 5 
then 4, he requests B to lead a trump through D. 

You can likewise ask partner to go on with trumps — 
he having abandoned his effort to get them out. You 
may have but three trumps, consequently you do not 
echo (see Echo and Sub-echo); but the fall may develop 
the fact that it is to your advantage that partner goes on 
with trumps, you having great strength in the other suits, 
and you may ask him to persist in trumps. You may 
also repeat your request for trumps. For example : 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



273 



You ask for trumps, your partner responds but does not 
echo. He subsequently sub-echoes that he has one more 
trump; you want him to lead it if he gets in. Partner 
may be in doubt as to the advisability of leading his 
last trump, and you may make sure of it by repeating 
your request. Take this case: — 



1* * 



* * *| 

* • + 
4. 4- 4-I 



* 


4. 4. 

*** 

* 4- 


4* 





B 




c 


A 


D 



*m m 


•!* . 4* 


* 


4* 


* 


4* 


« 


4. * 4. 
4*.* 
*** 


4- 


4« 






^SH\ 


* 


* 


* 


4* 




4. 4. 4. 

+ I 
4. 4. 4.1 



h + * 



B has the ace turned; A called and — 

1. — B leads ace; D plays 3; A plays 4; C plays 5. 

2. — B leads 9; D plays k; A plays 6; C plays 8. 

A knows that B has the deuce and that the kn, 7 are 
probably both with D — they cannot both be with C. 
Suppose that D now leads k then ace of a plain suit. A 
playing trey, then deuce, A requests B to give him his 
last trump if he gets in. 

The fall may be such that B may read that the oppo- 
nents are out, or that the chances are that they have no 
more trumps, yet A may know that a trump is yet with 



274 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the opponents. In such cases A may repeat the request 
— asking for another round. 

There are good reasons why trump-signaling in its 
simplest form is not as much respected as it formerly 
was. One objection is that it often interferes with good 
second and third-hand play. Players are frequently de- 
terred from making the best play from the danger of 
partner mistaking the play for a call. Holding two 
cards of a suit second hand, one above and the other 
below the one led, it is usually the better play to cover; 
for example : A leads 8 ; C holds the 9, 6, the 9 is the 
better card to play, it may win the trick and save a high 
card for D. Suppose the following: — 



-V * *l 

* * *! 



A J. 

* 
* * 

4. 4. 


4. 4. 
* * 


4. 
4. 

* 





B 




c 




D 




A 






4, 4. 



4. 4. 

A 
* * 



1 

1* 


* 


*l 




1 

r 




"i* 



A leads 8; C plays 10; B plays 3; D plays 2. 
Here the 10 saves the play of king and C D have three 
tricks in the suit. The only help C can give D in the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 275 

suit is lost by not putting up the 10 first round. While 
this play may at times subject your partner to adverse 
finessing on the part of the leader, yet in the long run 
more tricks are lost by not covering than there are 
gained by the attempt to keep the leader in doubt as to 
your poverty in the suit. You may be sure, if the leader 
is a good player, that he will usually finesse on the re- 
turn, if the situation demands it, no matter how you 
play your two cards second hand. This is particularly 
true when your highest card is below the ten, for the 
play of a 7, 8 or 9 second hand does not expose your 
poverty in the suit, like the play of qu or kn. The 
authorities emphasize the fact that the card played must 
be unnecessarily high to constitute a call. There are 
more tricks lost by second hand not covering in such 
cases — for fear of partner mistaking the play for a call — 
than there are made through the use of this signal 
second hand. At best trump signaling second hand — in 
the early stages of the hand especially— is not good. 
More loss usually results from it than gain, and this is 
particularly true if you signal to a high card that will 
probably hold the trick and keep the leader in possession 
of the lead, for you post your adversaries while they 
have command of the play. Your partner may not have 
a better chance of getting in than 5^011 have, and your 
opponents will make use of every resource at their com- 
mand to profit by your acknowledgment of strength in 
trumps. Beginners, and even players of some experience, 
are prone to use the trite signal for trumps without 
proper justification, and invariably call if they happen to 
hold four or more trumps. Their attention is almost 
wholly occupied with this one conventionality. In their 
effort to get this signal off, and at the same time not fail 
to see the call of partner, they miss the important infer- 



276 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

ences that they should be reading. Good players call 
when necessary, but experience has convinced them that 
it is best to be very conservative in the matter of calling 
for trumps. They will lead trumps with a much weaker 
hand than they will call for them, especially before the 
hand is developed. If you call for trumps you are re- 
sponsible for the result, for you command partner to give 
up his hand to yours, and he is expected to make almost 
any sacrifice to comply with your order. This being the 
case you should not issue such an arbitrary command 
unless you are reasonably sure that your game will 
succeed. 

As before pointed out, care must be taken in reading the 
play of second and third hand in reference to calling, as 
second hand may be covering and third hand unblocking. 
Any player may call for trumps at any stage of the play of 
the hand; but an early call carries with it more force than 
one made late in the play. A player may have had the 
lead, and at the time not consider it expedient to lead 
trumps, but the subsequent play may determine for him 
that a trump lead is best. Of course, the fact of his 
having the lead and not leading trumps should not and 
does not debar him from afterwards calling. For the 
same reasons, the original leader of the hand may call, 
although having the lead he did not lead trumps. For 
example: A may have the double tenace in trumps — ace,' 
qu, 10 and small — king turned with D; k, kn, 10 and one 
small; qu and small, and three small in the other suits. 
A leads the 10 — from the k, kn, 10 suit; B wins with ace 
(C having put up the qu) and then opens his suit, lead- 
ing k, then ace ; A asks for trumps, for now the hand 
has developed, and while A was not justified in starting 
off with trumps, he surely has good reasons for asking B 
to start them. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



277 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE ECHO. 



If partner calls, or leads trumps, or by his play shows 
four or more trumps, you echo with four or more in hand. 
You do this at your earliest opportunity. The advan- 
tages of the echo are evident ; if partner can count your 
trumps, he does not go on with an unnecessary round. 
The echo is usually a very simple thing, but at times it 
is not so easily accomplished ; it should be made, how- 
ever, even at some sacrifice of strength ; but situations 
Avill occur — holding exactly four trumps, three high cards 
and one small one — where you will lose a trick if you 
attempt to echo. Of course when it is evident that loss 
will result from the sacrifice you must make to echo, you 
will not echo. Here is an illustration of a call and echo 
— Clubs Trumps. 



Trick i. 



B 




























D 



Trick 2. 




C does not trump the 7 d — trick 2 — as it is a doubtful 



278 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



card, and an even chance that D has the king. C has 
but four trumps and does not wish to be forced ; he 
throws the ace of spades showing control of the suit ; 
and by the play asks his partner for trumps. Had C 
thrown any spade, higher than the seven, upon this trick 
it would have also been an absolute call for trumps. 
(See Call.) Passing a doubtful card is not a call for 
trumps, but it implies either four trumps or three good 
ones that had best not be broken, and is a direct intima- 
tion to partner to lead them, if he has any assistance. 
D begins the echo at once, having four trumps, by the 
play of the 9, holding originally in the d suit 10, 9, 6, 4. 



Trick 3. 




B returns the k d, having no good suit of his own, 
with the idea of forcing the calling hand. D by the play 
of the 6 d completes the echo ; C takes the force will- 
ingly now, as he reads four trumps in D's hand, and un- 
less he finds five trumps in one hand against him, he will, 
with the help of D, bring in the spades. A call and echo 
may be completed in the play of five cards, as follows : 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST 
B 


















c 


m 


9? 

"7 









D 




♦ 

♦ 

















279 



Here C has called by the discard of the 9 h. Now 
suppose that D at once returns the 2 d, he echoes great 
strength, for D would never deliberately force his partner 
— who has called — unless he was so strong that he could 
absolutely take care of the trump suit. 

Echoing by the Manner of Taking the Force. 

If partner calls, and a suit is led of which you are void, 
you can show the number of trumps you have by the way 
you take the force. For example : You hold the 3, 2 
only, you trump with the 2, and lead the three, and you 
have no more. If you hold the 4, 3, 2, you take the 
force with the 2, and lead the 4, and you show the 3, or 
no more. Again : You hold the 5, 4, 3, 2, you trump 
Avith the 3, and lead the 2, and you show exactly two 
more. Still again : You hold the 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 ; you take 
the force with the 4, and lead the 3, and the play will 
usually show partner that you held five originally. If 
you take the force and do not lead trumps you show, of 
course, that you held but the single trump. So that you 
can show any number of trumps. The lowest trumps, 
and in sequence, too, render these examples very plain 
and simple, as it was intended they should be, but when 
you hold both high and low trumps under the same con- 
ditions the play becomes more intricate. To illustrate : 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Partner calls, you are forced, holding ace, 4, 3, 2 — you 
trump with the 3, and lead the ace and, the deuce not 
falling in the first round, partner gives you the deuce and 
one more. If with the same holding you take the force 
with the deuce and lead the ace, partner must give you 
but one more, or no more. In exceptional cases your 
three trumps with the ace may be of such rank that you 
do not deem it safe to sacrifice the penultimate in taking 
the force, and partner will read your play subject to this 
possible contingency. When you hold four or more 
trumps, the highest being ace, and you are forced — part- 
ner having called, — you must lead the ace after taking 
the force. This under certain conditions renders echoing 
more difficult, or rather partner may not so readily read 
the play, for the echo may not be made evident until the 
second round. For instance, you hold ace, 8, 7, 6 ; part- 
ner has called ; you are forced ; you take the force with 
the 7 and then lead the ace ; the fall may be such that 
partner is left in doubt. To illustrate : — 



*?* *a" •?• $? *5* *^° 

■?■ ■$■ "i* *f* ■$■ "5* 



I* 


1 

* 






jg-'-hl 



D 






-j. .J..J. .3. 

* I 



* * * 




. * 



4. 4. 

4. * 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



This is the trump suit, A has called, B is forced and 
trumps with the 7, and B leads ace ; D plays 3 ; A plays 4 ; 
C plays 2. 

There is nothing yet to show A that B has two more, 
as both the 8 and 6 could be with either C or D. 

B leads 6 ; D plays 9 ; A plays k ; C plays qu. 

A can now count the hands ; B must have the 8 and 
D the 10. 

A having asked for trumps, B's play is based upon the 
assurance that A has strength in trumps. Barring excep- 
tional hands, a call for trumps is not issued, unless sup- 
ported by four trumps — two honors, or five trumps — one 
honor. When A has called, and B is forced, holding ace 
and three small trumps, he should take the force with 
the penultimate, and lead the ace. The lead of the ace 
insures two rounds; beside the lead of the lowest will 
often lose a trick. When B has four trumps, A five 
trumps, there is a great probability of finding a high 
card unguarded with the opponents. Take, for example, 
this case : — 



4. * 

4* * 
* + 

+ * 



4. 4. 

4* 
4. 4, 

4, 4, 



4. 



B 



C 



D 



•$« •!» * >H 



J 



4" *i$M 

Hi 




4. 4> 




* 


4= 




4, 


•?• 




* 




4». * 
*** 
4. 4. 




* 

4- 


* 
* 




* 


* 




4. 
* 



282 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



B trumps with the 7, then — 

1. — B leads 5 ; D plays 2 ; A plays kn ; C plays qu. 
C D must take two tricks in trumps. If B leads the 
ace, this is not the case. Or this : — 



«?• •% A ■£• «?* •£■ 
At «J» JU «j» A 




B trumps with the 7, then — 

1. — B leads 5 ; D plays 2 ; A plays kn ; C plays qu. 

Here D may make his king by ruffing. If B leads the 
ace and follows with the 5, the k and qu fall together ; 
and A can read the 8, 7 in B's hand. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



283 



There are a few positions unfavorable to the lead of 
the ace, after taking the force. Here is one : — 



* 


*** 

4- 4* 
4> 


4. + 


4. 4. 

* 
4. 4. 




4* J.4- 

4. 4. 



■r* *i* *i* *i" 

4. 4. 

♦ 4j (4» 4> 



Here, if B leads the ace, the k must, of course, make. 
If B leads the 5, and D plays the deuce, the k falls to 
the ace. But analysis clearly demonstrates that B, hold- 
ing four trumps, the highest being the ace, should lead 
the ace after a force — in response to A's call. 

It is easy to demonstrate that the great majority of 
positions are favorable to the lead of the lowest after tak- 
ing the force, when the player's four trumps are all smaller 
than the knave. A card like the 10, 9 or 8 has prac- 
tically no value as a strengthening card to a player who 
has called. In most cases the strengthening card will be 



284 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



sacrificed, or finessed — to the loss of a trick or more — 
and valuable information withheld. Suppose this case: 



+ .1* 

♦ Vm 


*** 
* * 


* 

4* 
4. 






This is the trump suit. A has called; B is forced and 
trumps with the 3, then — 

1, — B leads 10; D plays 4 — a trick is lost whether A 
finesses or plays k. If, on the other hand, B leads 2, A 
reads at once that B has two trumps remaining, and he 
will play k; then lead ace, and D's 9 will fall to B's 10. 
Give A the 4, held by D in the above illustration, then if 
B takes the force with the 3 and leads the 10, and A 
finesses it also loses a trick. 

There are, of course, positions favorable to the lead of 
the 10, 9 or 8, as a strengthening card, but they are 
exceptional. 

This leaves open for further consideration the play of 
B, when he holds four trumps, one or more honors, A 
having called. The writer has analyzed almost every 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



285 



possible position, giving the partner of the calling hand 
just four trumps, the highest not the ace. Positions 
were found where the lead of the strengthening trump 
Avould gain a trick over the lead of the lowest, after tak- 
ing the force with the penultimate. But in far the 
greater number of cases the lead of the strengthening 
card either lost a trick at once, or rendered the position 
unfavorable to the calling hand. It was found that a 
trick might be lost in positions apparently the most 
favorable for the lead of the strengthening card. Take 
this case: — 



* + 



■fr 

A A 



* * * 
•$* •*■ 4* 



,5- .j. .j. .;- 





B 




c 


A 


D 



a 4. ►!• 
•*■ * * 



*.* 
*** 
* * 




4* 4* 

* 

a a 



A has called; B is forced and trumps with the 3, and — 

1. — B leads kn; D plays 4; A plays 5; C plays 8. 

2. — B leads 6; D plays 7; A plays qu; C plays 10. 

D's k now falls to A's ace, and A B have five tricks 
from their combined trumps. Yet even here A B may 
have lost a trick by the lead of B's strengthening kn. 
For example, B trumps as before with the 3, and — 



286 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — B leads 2; D plays 4; A plays qu; C plays 8. 

Now, note how probable it is — in practice — for A to 
hold a losing card of the suit that B has previously 
ruffed. In such cases it is A's policy to take the first 
round in order to force B. B has declared that he has 
two trumps remaining — one with which to take the force, 
and the other to give back through the k. 

2. — A leads the suit B can ruff; C, being now void of 
the suit, trumps with the 10; B overtrumps; D follows 
suit. Mark that had B led the strengthening kn — trick 
1 — he could not now overtrump. 

3. — B leads 6; D plays 7; A plays 9 — and D's k falls 
the next round. A B score six tricks — a gain of one 
trick over the former play. 

Suppose the hands of C and D are exchanged; then 
we have the following: — 



± ± 

* * *j 
♦fr 4" • £• 



4» ^7*. 'i\ 


* * 

A 4. 


A 


+ 


§M 


* ± 


A 


_* _ 





B 




c 


A 


D 



A A, A 
A * .J. 



A A 
A 

A A 



* * * * 

* * * * 



a a * 



This position is just as probable as the last one illus- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



287 



trated. A has called ; B is forced, and trumps with the 
3, then:— 

1. — B leads kn; D plays 8; A plays 5; C plays k. 

2. — C leads a plain suit; B trumps; D overtrumps; A 
follows suit. 

A B have lost a trick by the lead of the kn, possibly 
more, for D may make a trump by ruffing a suit led by 
C. Here is another phase of this combination: — 



■Hfa 



4* * 



* 


* 




4 1 


4 1 


* 




4.4. * 4.1 


+ 


* 


* 


$-4" •h\ 





B 




c 


A 


D 



l-J*4 , 4*4 # 



I 4* 


H 


*4>* 

4* 4* 
4> 


4- 4- 
4. 4. 



B, as before, trumps with the penultimate, and — 



255 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — B leads kn; D plays 4; A plays 7; C plays k. 

2. — C now leads a card of his established suit; B 
trumps; D overtrumps; A overtrumps D. A's position is 
bad. He cannot read the hands. C may have the 10, 8, 
2, or there may be a trump in each hand. 

In examining the various features of the play under 
analysis, you must not lose sight of the ever-present 
advantage resulting from the immediate declaration of 
four trumps ; and you must consider the disadvantages 
resulting from the lead of the strengthening card; for it 
may put you in a position where you cannot overtrump 
your right-hand adversary. Or, again, it may so weaken 
your hand that it enables the left-hand opponent to over- 
trump you. 

The importance of at once proclaiming that you have 
four trumps is very great. You make this announce- 
ment of your numerical power immediately after ruffing 
a suit, and you give notice to partner that he may safely 
adopt two lines of play: (1) Go on forcing you thus 
making, under certain contingencies, the best possible 
use of your remaining trumps. (2) Or he may at once 
proceed to disarm the opponents, being sure of his power 
to do so, due to your positive declaration of having 
originally four trumps. 

The student who cares to carefully analyze the various 
combinations, will find that in a large majority of cases 
it is immaterial whether the highest or lowest trump is 
led. That is to say that 110 trick will be either gained or 
lost in the direct play of the trumps. But in nearly all 
such positions the lowest is very much the better lead, 
due to the information it imparts, and the subsequent 
gain in tricks resulting therefrom. Many positions will 
be found where the lead of the highest will at once lose a 
trick. Others when the lowest will result in loss. The 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



289 



policy of the play here advised is disputed. But the 
writer believes it is sound, and that it can be sustained 
by analysis. 

A careful examination of the following tables will assist 
the student in deciding whether the lowest or highest 
trump should be led after taking the force — partner 
having called. 



Combinations Unfavorable to the Lead of the Highest. 



a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


B'S HAND. 


D'SHAND. 


Ace, k, 6, 5, 3 * 


Queen. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


10, 8, 7. 


Ace, k, 6, 5, 3. 


To, 8, 7. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


Oueen. 


Ace, k, 6, 5, 3. 


Qu, 7. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


10, 8. 


Ace, k, 6, 5. 


Qu. 7- 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


10, 8, 3. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


10, 8, 7. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


King. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5. 


9- 7. 3- 


Kn, 8, 4, 2. 


K, 10. 


Ace, kn, 6, 5, 3. 


10, 8, 7. 


Qu, 9, 4, 2. 


King. 


Ace, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


K, kn, 7. 


Qu, 9, 4. 2. 


7- 


Ace, 8, 6, 5, 3. 


K, 10, 7. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


Queen. 


Ace, 8, 6. 5, 3. 


Qu, 10, 7, 


Kn, 9, 4, 2, 


King'. 


King, 9, 6, 5. 3. 


Queen. 


Kn, 10, 4, 2. 


Ace, 8, 7. 


King, 8, 6, 5, 3. 


Kn, 10, 7. 


Qu, 9, 4, 2. 


Ace. 


King, qu, 6, 5. 


10,8,7,3. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


Ace. 


Queen, 9, 6, 5, 3, 


Kn, 10, 8. 


K, 7, 4. 2. 


Ace. 


Queen, 7, 6, 5, 3. 


Ace, 10,8. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


King. 


Knave, 8, 6, 5, 3. 


K, 10, 7. 


Qu, 9, 4. 2. 


Ace. 


* A has called ; B is fc 


>rced, and takes 


the force with the pen 


ultimate, and 


then leads the hig 


hest of the thre< 


: remaining- trumps. In 


each instance 


the lead of the hi 


jhest loses a trie 


k, as against the lead o 


f the lowest. 

— 



290 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Combinations Favorable to the Lead of the Highest. 



a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


B'S HAND. 


D'SHAND. 


Ace, k, 6, 5, 3.* 


IO. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


Qu, 8, 7. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


IO. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


K, 8, 7. 


Ace, kn, 6, 5, 3. 


IO. 


Qu, 9, 4. 2. 


K, 8, 7. 


Ace, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


8. 


K, kn, 4, 2. 


Qu, 9, 7- 


Ace, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


9- 


Qu, kn, 4, 2. 


K, 8. 7. 


Ace, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


9.7- 


Qu, kn, 4, 2. 


K, 8. 


Ace, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


7- 


Qu, 9, 4, 2. 


K, kn, 8. 


Ace, 9, 6, 5, 3, 


8,7. 


Qu, kn, 4, 2. 


K, 10. 


Knave, 9,6, 5, 3. 


Queen. 


K, 7, 4, 2. 


Ace, 10, 8. 


* Here, in each instan 


ce, the lead of 


the highest trump, after B has ac- 


cepted the force 


with the 4, g 


lins a trick as compared with the 


lead of the lowes 


t. 







Combinations Favorable to the Lead of the Lowest. 



A'S HAND, 


C'S HAND. 


B'S HAND. 


D'SHAND. 


Ace, k, 6, 5, 3.* 


Any. 


Qu, kn, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, 7, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, 10, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Ace, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, kn, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Ace, kn, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, 10, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Ace, 9, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, qu, 4, 2. 


Any. 


King, qu, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


Kn, 9, 4, 2. 


Any. 


King, 10, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


Qu, kn, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Queen, 10,6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, kn, 4, 2. 


Any. 


Queen, 9, 6, 5, 3. 


Any. 


K, 10, 4, 2. 


Any. 


* Here the lead of th 


e highest or lo^ 


vest neither gains nor 


loses in the 


direct play of tru 


mps. They all, 


however, favor the lea 


d of the low- 


est — due to the in 


lmediate annou 


icement of B's numeri 


:al power. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 29I 

In exceptional cases, B may be forced, holding ace, k, 
qu, and one small, or ace, king, kn and one small, etc. 
In such cases, B will not attempt to echo by trumping 
with the penultimate, as he can show his numerical 
power by the manner in which he leads his high cards 
that are in sequence. For example: — B holds ace, k, qu, 
and one small. He trumps with the small card, and 
leads qu, then ace, and is marked with the k. 

This phase of the echo may be summed up as 
follows: — 

When partner calls, and you are forced, you trump 
with the lowest, holding less than four, and lead the 
highest. Holding four or more — the ace not the highest 
— you trump with the third-best and lead the fourth-best. 
If the ace is in hand you likewise trump with the third- 
best, but you then lead the ace. The trumps you hold, 
and the cards that fall to the first round, will determine 
for you the card to select for the second lead. 

If partner calls and you are forced, and the previous 
play shows that your left-hand opponent may overtrump 
you, you must then, of course, trump with your highest 
trump and lead the next highest, if you hold less than 
four trumps originally ; if with four or more, trump with 
the highest and lead the lowest. 



Echoing When You Get in Without a Force. 

If partner calls and you gain possession of the lead 
without being forced, you answer the call by leading the 
highest of less than four trumps, the lowest of four — the 
highest not the ace — and the fourth-best if you have 
more than four. In response to partner's request for 
trumps, you — holding ace and any number — lead the ace. 



292 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Your play is often modified by the trump turned or the 
high trump cards you may hold — especially if they are 
in sequence. It is often best to answer partner's call 
with a high card, even though you hold four or more. 
No rules will cover all contingencies. If you hold qu, 
kn, 10 and one or more small, king up to your left, part- 
ner calls, you lead the queen, through the king turned, 
and if partner has the ace the king is hemmed in. So 
also if you hold kn, 10 and others, queen or king turned 
to your left, the knave and not the small card is led. 

Echoing in a Plain Suit. 

You can echo partner's call by your play in a plain 
suit as well as in trumps. For example : You lead ace 
of a plain suit, then fourth-best, taken by D; partner 
called ; D now opens a plain suit ; you have four trumps 
— you begin an echo at once ; say D then leads queen 
and follows with ace, you play the 5 then 4, you have 
echoed four or more trumps. You may have begun an 
echo in the first round of trumps ; and the trick going 
to the opponents, you may not have an opportunity of 
completing it in the trump suit, you must then start an 
echo in the next suit opened. To illustrate : Partner 
opens the hand with trumps, and the first trick goes to D, 
who then opens his suit with ace and follows with king; 
you had originally four or more trumps ; you play to 
the ace and king — led by D — the 4 and 3, for instance, in 
the order named, and partner reads the echo. 

Echoing to Partner s Lead of Trumps. 

If partner leads trumps, you holding less than four — 
and you do not attempt to take the trick — you play your 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



2 93 



lowest card. If you hold more than three, you play the 
third-best— as with 6, 5, 4, 3 or 6, 5, 4, 3, 2— you play 
the 4 to the first round in each case. It will often hap- 
pen that partner can read the echo of strength before 
the echo is really completed. Suppose that A leads the 
ace from ace, qu, kn and deuce; C playing 7; B 6; 
D 5. Now, the 4 and 3 have not fallen, and A at once 
draws the inference that B is echoing five trumps. 
Again: Suppose partner asks for trumps, and you get in 
and lead him a medium low card, say the 7 or 6, the 
fall of the cards to your lead, in conjunction with the 
cards he holds, will generally afford him sufficient data 
to count your hand with accuracy. The inference would 
be— even unaided by the cards he holds— that you did 
not have three cards higher than the card led, and that 
you led the highest of three— or less. On the other 
hand, if you respond with a very small card, say the 3 
or 2, the inference is that you probably have four or 
more. .If you respond with the 2, you must have three 
more or no more; if with the 3, and the 2 falls, you must 
likewise have no more or three more, etc. 

It will often happen that partner can count your 
trumps, even if you respond with a card as high as the 
7 or 8; suppose you answer the call with the 7; the 
adversaries drop the 3 and 2, and your party has the 6, 
5, 4; he knows at once that you have no more or three 
more. 

Echoing with High Cards in Sequence. 

Holding high trumps in sequence, any one of which 
will win the trick, you can show the number of trumps by 
the order in which you play or lead these high cards. 
There is a difference of opinion even with good players 



294 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



as to the proper manner of echoing four or more trumps, 
and owing to this diversity a trick is not infrequently 
lost. Below will be found, in tabular form, the proper 
play — holding master cards in sequence — to partner's 
lead of trumps, as well as the correct card to lead in re- 
sponse to his call. 



Echo Table. 



(Showing B's play or lead to A's lead of or call for trumps.) 



HOLDING 


PLAY 


LEAD 


INFERENCES. 












FIRST 


s'c'nd 


FIRST 


S'C ND 




Ace, k, qu, 












only 


Ou 


K 


Ou 


K 


Shows ace and no 


Ace, k, qu, 










more (a). 


oneormore 


Ace 


Qu 


Ou 


Ace 


Shows k and one 


Ace, k, only 


K 


Ace 


Ace 


K 


or more (b). 
Not continuing, 


Ace, k, one 










shows no more (c) 


more 


K 


Ace 


Ace 


K 


Continuing, shows 


Ace, k, two 










three in suit (d). 


or more 


Ace 


K 


K 


Ace 


Shows two at least 
remaining (e). 



(a) The lead of the qu then k, in response to partner's call must 
show the ace and no more, for if k, qu only were in hand, the k 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 295 

then qu would have been led, and if ace, k, qu, and one or more 
were held, queen then ace are led. {See following note.) 

(b) If A leads trumps, and B plays ace and returns the qu — the qu 
winning — the k and one small must be with B; for if B holds tierce 
major only be plays qu then k. If B leads the qu (in response to 
A's call) and it wins, and follows with ace, the k must be in hand, 
for if B held the ace, qu (and not the k), with or without others, he 
leads the ace. 

(c) In the event of A holding six trumps, and C and D following 
to the two rounds, B will not continue the lead of trumps, even if 
he had one more, and this contingency may leave A in doubt, 
whether B has no more or one more. But if B's small trump — in 
the event of his holding one, and not going on — is smaller than 
any of the trumps C and D have played, then A can place it with B. 

(d) When B follows with his small card he shows A that he held 
originally but three trumps. As pointed out in a preceding note, 
B may be able to read that the opponents are void, and in this case 
will, of course, discontinue the lead of trumps, but in this event A 
will nearly always read the remaining trump with B, unless B's 
third trump is a tolerably high card, such as kn, 10 or 9. 

(e) There is no mistaking the play or lead here, as they show at 
least four originally, whether trumps are continued or not. If the 
echoing hand goes on with trumps, having held more than four 
originally, he can generally show it by his third lead. 



B, holding k, qu, kn, only ; k, qu, kn and one ; or k, 
qu and two small, the ace known to be with A or C, or 
out of play, can generally manage to echo strength by a 
similar order of play to that given in the table. For 
example: A leads trumps (the ace turned with A or C) 
B holding k, qu and two small, plays the k and returns 
the qu and shows two or more remaining. Examples 
showing the advantages of echoing, as given in the fore- 
going table, follow. 

Holding ace, k and two small: — 



296 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC. WHIST. 



* 



♦ A 4- 4* 4* 

4* ' * ♦ a 

4. * * * 

♦ 4* 4* «£ 



+ * * 

I * 

* * *, 

* * *l 



B 



D 



l*JS)fl 




4« 4* 
4**4- 




* * 
4» 

4» 4* 




* 


4 s 
* 




■fr 
4- 



1. — A leads 4; C plays 7; B plays ace; D plays 2. 
2. — B leads k; D plays qu; A plays 3; C plays 8. 
A gives B the 10, 6. Again: — 



4* . 4* 
*** 


++* 

4. 4. 

4* 




4*jS!^ 




4* 4* 




4. 4. 




4- 


4* 




* 




4» . 4* 
4. * + 




4* 










* 






4. 4. 




4, 4. 




4* 


4- 




* 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



297 



i. — A leads 4; C plays qu; B plays k; D plays 2. 

2. — B leads ace; D plays 6; A plays 3; C discards. 

3. — B leads 10; D plays 7; A plays kn; C discards. 

A, here, could not give B the 8, as he played first k 
then ace showing but three at most. A takes the 10, to 
draw, as he supposes, the 8 from D. Whether B returns 
the 10 or 8, A must give D the last trump. But if B 
plays ace, then k, then 10, A gives him the 8. 

Holding ace, k, qu and one small: — 




4. , 4» 

4» v * 

*** 
*** 


* * 

* * 


4, 4. 
4, 4, 

4, 4. 



i. — A leads 6; C plays 5; B plays qu; D plays 2. 
2. — B leads k; D plays 3; A plays 7; C plays 9. 
3. — B leads ace; D plays 4; A plays 10; C discards. 
B, of course, can read the knave with A, but A must 



298 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



give the 8 to D, as B played his major sequence just as 
he should, had he not held the 8. Again: — 




* 


•F 1 


* 


•J- 




*l 






* * •: 


»i 




•£■ 




* 


** 


•S- 








B 




c 


A 


D 



J. 4. 4. 



"*Ms--Mi ^*a^* 4* . "5* A *I* 4* 

WOm * * * * * * 

^IftQ ^* * ■5° * A * A ' 



1. — A leads 6; C plays 5; B plays ace; D plays 3. 

2. — B leads qu; D plays 4, A plays 2, C plays 9. 

B reads the kn, 10, 7 with A, and the qu winning the 
second round marks B with the k and 8. It is true that 
D might possibly have both king, 8 — holding up the 
second round, as B, holding the major tenace only, would 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



2 99 



play just as he did; but this would be exceptional, All 
holding up and underplay are, at times, liable to mislead 
Whenever B is left with cards in sequence, any one of 
which will win the trick, he can echo by reversing the 
usual order of their play. This, for instance. — 




* + ♦ -v 4» v 

*** * 

jr 4y 4» •?• 4* •£ 



1. — A leads 4; C plays ace; B plays 2; D plays 6. 

B cannot afford to risk the sacrifice of the 10 in an 
attempt to echo. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 3; C renounces; B plays k; D 
plays 7. 

3. — B leads qu; D plays 8; A plays 5 — and the 10 is 
marked with B. 



3°° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



If, on the other hand, B plays the qu then k, A must 
give D the 10. 

B may be enabled to echo with the aid of the trump 
turned. 

This, for example — queen turned: — 



A A 

A A 

+ ** 

A A 







B 



A ' A 
A*A 



A A 
* 



D 



A ( A A A 

A A A A 



'* + * 



1. — A leads 6; C plays ace; B plays 9; D plays 3 
2 (A to lead). — A leads 2; C renounces; B plays k; D 
plays 4. 

B does not continue the suit,, as he can read A with 
the kn, 10, 7, and A is certain B has the qu, 8, 5. Again: 
B has k, qu, 9,6, the qu turned. A leads low trump; C 
plays low; B plays the k, and at once shows four or more. 
Or, again: B has the 10, 9, 8, 7 — the 8 turned; A leads 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



301 



the ace; B plays the 9, and it is certain that he is echoing 
four or more. 

Echoing, Holding High and Low Cards. 

To a low card led by A, B making an effort to take the 
trick may find it impossible to echo, but usually B can 
manage his cards so that the fall to the third round, if 
not to the second, will enable A to read the hands. Here 
is a case in point: — 




1. — A leads 6; C plays 5; B plays qu; D plays k. 
2 (B to lead). — B leads ace; D plays 2; A plays 4; C 
discards. 

A shows five trumps, and B can read a trump with D. 



302 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



B must now lead the g, thus showing A that he has the 
3. If B leads the 3, A must give the 9 to D. Again: — 



4* 4» 4» ■?• 4» 4» 

* t*S .* 

[♦ 4j 4» «fr] I 4* I 4* 





B 




c 


A 


D 




*!• ,4* 
4- v * 
4», * 
4» 



i4». 



4. 4- 

+ + 



* 


* 


+ 


* 


*• 


* 


* 


* 




r * 


* 


* 






:• 1 


* 


* 


+1 



•!■> 4* 

4* 
4* 4* 



Here is an exceptional distribution of the trump suit, 
but it is the exceptional hands that require careful 
handling, and often unconventional treatment. A has 
called; is forced and trumps with the 6, then: — 

1. — A leads qu; C plays k; B plays ace; D plays 7. 

2. — B leads 2; D plays 8; A plays 10; C discards. 

B has played without due consideration here, and such 
carelessness may cost a trick or more. B has left A in 
doubt as to the location of the 9. B can read that D 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3°3 



can have no more, but A can only give B the 4, 3 for 
sure. A may, in fact must, go on with an unnecessary 
round, for he must give B the credit of playing correctly. 
Again: — 



* * *| 

+ 
<$> 4- 4>i 






4, 4, 

4, 4. 

A 4*. 


* 4 
* 



B 



A 



D 



*f* *5* •!* *•• 

4* 
.{« ,j. -j. -j. 



k« A *> 4* 4* 4* I [ * 

[4_"M» 4. 4| |_4. I 4. 



1. — A leads 3; C plays kn; B plays qu; D plays k. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 5; D plays 9; A plays 10; C 
plays 7. 

A gives B the 8, 6, but to read this A must note care- 
fully the fall; he marks that D cannot have the 8 or the 
6, having played the 9; C can have no more, for with 



3°4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



three originally, he would not have played the kn first 
round. Suppose, however, the trumps lay as under: — 



* * +i 
4 1 «F •& 




*** 

+ + 





B 




c 


A 


D 



>$• •%> -fr 

* * + 



1 4. 1 4 i^r 4. 4. 4. [47 41 

4. * 4. 4. 4. 

4, 4. 4.*4. * 
4* 4* •?• "fr ^ 4^ 4» 4* 



1. — A leads 5; C plays 2: B plays kn; D plays k. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 3; D plays 6; A plays ace; C 
plays 7. 

B can read A's hand, but A cannot place the qu, 8, he 
only knows for sure that B has either no more or both 
of these cards. D may have the 8, or C may have both 
qu and 8. If, however, the 8 and 6 change places, 
everything is clear to A, and this demonstrates the im- 
portance of noting precisely the cards that fall, and from 
whom. A single pip may make a great difference. Give 
B the 6, D the 8, and then — 

1. — A leads q; C plays 2; B plays kn; D plays k. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 305 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 3; D plays 8; A plays ace; C 
plays 7. 

B must now have the 6 as C and D each threw higher 
cards to the second trick, and B having the 6 must also 
have the qu, for with 6, 3 only, he would have led the 6 
not the 3. Once more: Take the same illustration as last 
diagramed; — 

1. — A leads 5; C plays 2; B plays kn; D plays k. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads ace; C plays 7; B plays 8; D 
plays 6. 

A leading at trick two, B does not have to make an 
effort to take the trick, and throwing the 8, marks the 3 
in his hand and consequently the qu also. B, attempt- 
ing to take the trick the first round, could not echo, but 
A leading the ace gave him the opportunity to do so. 

These examples illustrate the fact that usually B can 
so handle his cards that A may read his trumps, and it 
is seldom an unnecessary round of trumps need be 
played. On account of the negative inference partner 
will draw, you should be on the alert to echo at the 
earliest moment. For instance, you lead the 3, from the 
k, qu, 4, 3; second hand plays ace; partner plays 5; 
fourth hand the 2; you know that partner has not 
started an echo, and consequently has at most two 
more, C no more, D at least four more; you do not 
persist in trumps, and if it turns out that partner had 
four trumps and did not echo — a great game may have 
been lost, 



The Sub-Echo. 

When partner calls, or leads trumps from strength, 
you sub-echo if you hold exactly three trumps. The 



3° 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



opportunity to sub-echo may develop in various ways. 
Take this case: — 



* 


♦ 


* 


* 




* 




* 


* 


* 


* 


* 


+ 



A A 

A A 

* 

A V A 




V 
A A 

A A 




* 
A 





B 




c 




D 




A 






A * A 
*A* 



A A 

+ 1 J. 

A * 

A A 



This is the trump suit. 

i. — A leads qu; C plays ace; B plays 2; D plays 4. 

B, by the play of the 2, shows that he is not echoing, 
hence has less than four trumps (see The Echo). Now, 
suppose that C 'opens a suit with ace, then k, B plays the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3°7 



3, then the 2, he sub-echoes, and proclaims the original 
possession of three trumps. 
Or this:— 




A* 






D 



* * * 



* * 
4. * 



.j. 4. 



This is the trump suit. 

1. — A leads 6; C plays 2; B plays ace; D plays 3. 
2. — B leads kn; D renounces; A plays 4; C plays k. 
B shows, by the return of the kn, that he did not hold 



3 o8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



four trumps originally. B may now echo in the usual 
way in the next suit led adversely 
Take this case: — 




to 



*.* 
*** 

•5* 4* 




•5* 4* 
* * 



This is the trump suit. A has called; B gains the 
lead, and — 

2. — B leads qu; D plays 5; A plays 4; C plays k. 

B shows, by the lead of the qu, that he has less than 
four trumps. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3°9 



Here, as in the preceding examples, B may sub-echo, 
by echoing in a plain suit led adversely. 
Again: — 



* * 
* 

A A 


4- + 

A A 





c 


B 
A 


D 


•S* *J* *J* •$* 
4, 4. .J- 4. 




4,4.4.4. 
4. 4. 
4, 4. 4 4. 




* 1 

* 1 





* + * 

4. 4. 

4. 4, 4* 



A A 

A 
A A 

4» 4 s 


A A 
A A 
A A 



!*. 4. A 



This is the tramp suit. A has asked for trumps; B is 
forced, and takes the force with the deuce, and therefore 
has not four trumps, then— 

1. — B leads 5; D plays 3; A plays qu; C plays ace. 

Suppose, for example, that C now leads k, then ace of 
a plain suit, and B plays the 7, then 4, he sub-echoes, 
and A reads that B has the 4 of trumps remaining. 

Valuable negative inferences may be drawn from the 



3i° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



play. Suppose in the last example illustrated, B holds the 
5, 2 only, the 4 being with C. B will, as before, take the 
force with the two and lead the five, and not sub-echoing 
in the suit led by C, although showing by his play that 
he had the opportunity to do so; A is enabled to read at 
once that B has not the 4, and that four trumps at least 
are in one hand against him. 
Once more: — 



A A I 4. 

A 
♦ *1 *__ 



1 •&■•&■ •!« 



* 





B 




c 


A 


D 



< h 


->* 






* * * * 

* 
**** 




* * 

* * 


* 

+ 



A •*• 

A* A 



*** 

A A 

* 

A V A 


A^A 
A A 



This is a plain suit. A has called in a suit previously 
led; C is in the lead, and — 

1. — C leads k; B plays 2; D plays 6; A plays 7. 

2. — C leads ace; B plays 5; D plays 9; A plays 8. 

B has not echoed A's call, consequently has not four 
trumps. If another suit is now opened, B may echo in 
the usual way, and by the play show exactly three 
trumps; or if A gets in and leads trumps, B may sub- 
echo the holding of three trumps by the same order of 
play as he would adopt to echo four or more. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3" 



The student will understand that when A calls or leads 
trumps, B is supposed to echo — if he holds four trumps 
— at the first opportunity, and sub-echo — if he holds 
three trumps — after he has had an opportunity to echo 
and did not. When B does not echo on the first oppor- 
tunity, or shows by the rank of the card led, played, or 
returned, that he holds less than four trumps, as illus- 
trated in the foregoing examples, he then echoes in the 
usual way and shows by the play exactly three trumps. B, 
however, on the first or second rounds of the trump 
suit, may not be able to show that he has less than four 
trumps. He may be forced to attempt to take the first 
round of trumps or the relative value of the card he leads, 
plays, returns, or with which he takes a force, may be 
such that it conveys no intimation of his numerical power 
in trumps. Under such circumstances B may exhibit his 
original holding of exactly three trumps in the following 
manner: — 



± ± 




* * * * 

4* 4* I j4» 4; 



312 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



This is the trump suit. 

i. — A leads 6; C plays 4; B plays 10; D plays k. 

2. — (A to lead). — A leads 9; C plays 5; B plays 3; D 
plays ace. 

B has not been able to give any information to A in 
regard to his numerical power in trumps. A can only 
read that unless D has the 2, B is echoing, and has two 
trumps remaining. But if the 2 is with D, B may have 
no more. B may now exhibit his original holding of 
exactly three trumps. Suppose that D now opens a suit 
distributed as follows: — 



* 4- 1 4* 



4* v v v 4* 
4. * 



B 



D 



*** 

4* 4- 
*.4» 

*** 


4, 4. 

& . $• 
*** 

4, 4, 




4» 
4> 




1. — D leads k; A plays 8; C plays 3; B plays 4. 

2. — D leads 5; A plays 9; C plays ace; B plays 6. 

Note that B is not echoing four trumps. Note, also, 
that A can read that B must have the deuce, and is sub- 
echoing three trumps. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



313 



3. — C leads kn; B plays 2; D plays 7; A plays 10 — 
and B has sub-echoed. 

The opportunity to sub-echo presents itself in a great 
variety of ways, but the phases here illustrated occur 
more frequently than any others. 

Anticipating Call, Refusing to Echo, etc. 

You may sometimes anticipate a call from partner, 
owing to the high card he has played, and prepare to 
echo, but you must be in a position not to complete it 
in case partner is not calling. Take this case: — 



4* . 4*1 4» 4» 
4* 4* 4* 
4» 4* 4^ 4j 



4* 4* 
4. 4. 



* * «* 



* * 

•5- 4**fr , »t- , | 




B 



4. 4. 

*** 
4, 4, 




4, 4. 

4. 4. 
4* 4. 



D 





* 






vj 


SI 




* 
* 
* 


* 






* 




* 



1. — D leads k (plain suit); A plays 9; C plays 3,' B 
plays 5. 

B suspects that A might be calling, and, having four 
trumps, he plays the 5. 

2. — D leads ace; A plays 6; C plays 10; B plays 4. 



314 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

B has really called, as A may not suspect the echo, but 
had A not called, B would have played the 7. 

If partner leads a high trump in the middle or end 
play, or at any time when it is probable that he is not 
leading from strength in trumps, but to protect a great 
suit developed by the play, you should not echo if at 
any sacrifice of strength. For example: — 

Partner leads the ace from ace and two small, you 
holding k, kn, 10, 2. 

If you play the 10 you lose a trick, even though you 
catch the qu, if you find 9 and three others in one hand 
against you. 

You can show great strength in trumps, partner having 
called, by refusing to answer the call, forcing him in- 
stead. The responsibility of the game rests upon you 
if you thus deliberately refuse to comply with his request. 
Such play on your part is equivalent to saying: " Part- 
ner, I have great strength in trumps, and deem it best 
to first force you, as we will have strength enough left to 
draw the opponents' trumps." 

If partner passes a doubtful card or refuses to be 
forced, he proclaims strength in trumps, and if you hold 
four or more trumps you should begin to echo at once. 
Suppose D opens the hand with ace and follows with the 
6; A, to the 6, throws a small card of another suit, he 
has not asked B to lead trumps, but he has notified him 
that he has moderate strength in trumps, not sufficient 
to call, perhaps, but he shows either four fair trumps or 
three good ones that he does not care to break — especi- 
ally upon a doubtful card. Now, suppose the 6 is won 
by C, who then opens his own suit, B should begin an 
echo at once. A will not read that B is calling, he will 
know that B is echoing four or more trumps to his (A's) 
negative announcement of strength. A, here, should be 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 315 

on the alert, and if B drops a suspiciously high card, he 
should anticipate B's echo, and if forced again by D, he 
should take the force, and lead trumps. 

The instructions to the student in the foregoing pages, 
in the management of trumps, are addressed principally 
to B and are based upon the fact that A has either 
called for trumps or by his play shown strength in them. 
If A calls or shows strength in trumps — four or more — 
B's management of his trumps — /. e., the manner in 
which he takes a force, leads trumps, etc., is modified by 
the fact that B knows that A has strength in them. 

The card to lead, when a trump is led as the first lead 
of all, is the same as in a plain suit, except in a few 
instances, which are pointed out in the Analysis of 
Leads. The trump card turned may also affect the lead 
of trumps. (See page 74.) 



Trumps Led After a Force. 

When you are forced and then lead trumps of your 
own volition, you trump with your lowest trump and 
and lead the highest — holding less than four. For in- 
stance: A is forced, holding kn, 10, 6; he trumps with 
the 6, and leads the kn. 

Holding four trumps, — say ace, qu, 4, 3, he trumps 
with the 3, and leads the 4. 

When a player is forced, holding more than four 
trumps he takes the force with the fourth-best trump, 
and if he then leads a low trump, he leads his original 
fifth-best card. For example: A holds kn, 10, 6, 5, 4; 
kn, 10, 6, 5, 4, 3, orkn, 10, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 — in each instance 
he takes the force with the 5, the original fourth-best, 
and then leads the 4, the then fourth-best card. By 



316 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



this order of play A shows B three cards, yet in hand, 
higher than the card led, irrespective of the card he 
trumped in with. Five trumps are shown immediately, 
by the force and lead; and with six or more, the fall to 
the first or second round will nearly always enable B to 
read A's exact numerical strength. Suppose: — 



4. * 


* 

+! 




•$* "$* •£* •£* 
V 






B 




c 


- 


D 




A 





+ .1* 



V 

4. 
4* 4" 



4. 4. 
4. 4. 

4» 4° 



4. 4. 4» 



4* 4* 



4» 4* 



A takes the force with the 6. Then — 

1. — A leads 5; C plays 7; B plays kn; D plays ace. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads qu; D plays 3; A plays 4; C 
plays 9. 

A reads, as soon as D plays the 3 to the second round, 
that B has the deuce, and as B can read three higher 
cards than the 6 yet in A's hand, he does not go on with 
trumps. A might be deceived by D playing false (hold- 
ing the deuce), but the best whist players do not play 
false cards. It is cheap strategy — or rather no strategy 
at all — and there is nothing to be gained by it in the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST 317 

long run (see False Cards). Suppose, upon the other 
hand, A takes the force with the 4, and leads the 5, or 
even the fourth-best, the 6, then B cannot read A's hand. 

B must not forget that A may have been compelled to 
take the force with his lowest trump, even though he 
holds five or six trumps, owing to the fact that he might 
lose a trick by the sacrifice he must make to trump with 
his fourth-best. Take for example: — Qu, kn, 9, 8, 3. 
You should trump with the 3, and lead the 8. If you 
trump with the 8 and lead the 3, you might find' the 10 
and two small with C, and the ace, k, 7 with D, to the 
immediate loss of a trick. Such chances of incurring 
loss, however slim, a careful player will not take. It 
follows that B must always read A's play, subject to the 
possibility that A may have taken the force with his 
lowest trump, holding five or six, owing to the character 
of the trumps in hand. Holding five or six trumps, you 
can, however, usually show them at once; but if to 
trump with the fourth-best is too great a sacrifice, then 
trump with the fifth-best and lead the fourth-best, and 
when the small trump comes out later on, or its absence 
from the fall marks it with leader, the original holding of 
six is declared. 

If partner takes a force, and then leads trumps of his 
own accord, an inference is that he has five or more 
trumps, even if the manner in which he takes the force 
and leads does not proclaim it unless, however, he is 
evidently playing for the protection of great suits in his 
hand or marked with partner. 

Leading a High Trump After a Force. 

If you take a force, holding such trumps that you 
must then lead a high card, you lead, and follow in 



3 i8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



accordance with the rules for leading with the number 
you hold after taking the force. To illustrate: You hold 
ace, k, qu, 5, 4; you are forced, trump with the 5, and 
then lead the k — not the qu. Again: With ace, qu, kn, 
4, 3 you trump with the 4, and lead ace then qu. But 
with ace, qu, kn, 4, 3, 2, you take the force with the 4, 
and lead ace, then kn, showing that you held originally 
six trumps. Holding more than four trumps — intending 
to lead a high card after taking the force — you will take 
the force with your lowest trump, if to trump with your 
fourth-best is any sacrifice of strength. If your small 
cards are in sequence, as in the foregoing examples, you 
run no risk by trumping with the fourth-best, but loss 
may result through the sacrifice of a single pip in rank, 
as the following case illustrates: — 






B 




c 


A 


D 






* * 

4» 4*i 



4. i? 






A is forced and trumps with the 6 — the fourth-best. 
Then:— 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3*9 



i. — A leads qu; C plays ace; B plays fc; D plays 2. 

C now leads a card of a suit of which both D and A 
are void. D trumps with the 5, and A must now over- 
trump with the 10 — or yield the trick — thus making C's 
9 and 8 both good, and a trick is lost. The chances of 
losing a trick by trumping with the 6 — with this hold- 
ing — are very slim, but a careful player will not take even 
this chance, as there is, in fact, no necessity for it. If A 
trumps with the 4, and then leads qu, following with 
10, the six trumps are proclaimed. 



320 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE TRUMP CARD. 



The rank of the card turned may affect your play, 
especially if it is a high card. If the trump card is 
turned to your right, and an honor — say k, qu or kn — 
do not let this fact alone deter you from leading up to 
it, if your hand demands a trump lead. Many players 
carry the refusal to do this to excess. If you have a 
tenace over the card turned — say ace, qu, the k turned — 
it is, of course, an advantage to have the trump come 
up to you, through the honor turned, particularly a high 
card like the kn or 10. In such cases, if you think you 
can get word over to partner in time, you may not lead 
trumps as you otherwise would, if the card turned was 
a small one. This is, however, critical work, and very 
often results in more loss than gain. 

There is no time that you should watch the play of 
partner so closely as when an honor is up to your left. 
If partner does not open with trumps, you must not take 
it for granted that he does not desire trumps led. He 
may be waiting to get word across to you, that you may 
lead the best card you hold, through the card turned. 
Suppose the king is turned to your left, your partner 
opens with a high card, indicating strength, and then 
changes the suit — leading fourth-best, if you win the 
trick, carefully consider the advisability of leading a 
trump through the k turned, as this may be partner's 
desire. It follows that if you suspect this, you should 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



321 



not finesse, but play your best card that you may get in 
to comply with his desire. 

If you lead up to a high card turned, you may lead a 
card higher than the one that is up, as with k, kn, 10, 
and others, qu turned, you lead king and not kn; k, kn, 
9, and others, 10 turned, you lead kn, etc. If the card 
is turned to you left, it does not so much affect your 
play; you can generally lead the conventional card, and 
partner will finesse or not, as he thinks best, aided by 
the fact that he knows the rank of the card turned to his 
right. If yqu lead through a hard card turned, and 
partner wins the trick cheaply, and does not return it, 
do not take it for granted that he has no more. He may 
be waiting to have you again lead through the honor 
turned, having finessed the first round. In such cases, 
it is incumbent upon you to follow up the advantage 
gained by B's successful finesse, by leading through the 
honor again. Take the follow case: — 




* A * * * * * 
■?• l «?■ •?■ ♦ •!• 4« 



322 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

This is the trump suit; C has the k turned. B opens 
the hand — you win, and holding a good hand, lead 
trumps. But you first show B your own good suit, lead- 
ing say k from ace, k, qu, and one small. This is a 
point that should not be forgotten. In such cases, if 
practicable, show partner your suit before you lead 
trumps. He will then know what suit to lead to give you 
the lead. You must take care that your suit is not so 
strong numerically that it is likely to be trumped the first 
round. Now suppose: — 

i. — A leads 6; C plays 4; B plays kn; D plays 2. 

B finesses knave here, for if the king and queen are 
both against, one at least must make. B would play very 
poor whist to return the ace, and thus free the king. A 
having shown B his suit, B leads it, A takes and — 

2. — A leads qu; if C does not cover, B passes; and if 
C puts up the king, B wins with ace, and there is not a 
trick in trumps for C, although he holds king and three 
others. If B had been playing careless whist, and, for- 
getting that C had the king turned, played the ace the 
first round, or returned it after the successful finesse, C 
must have made his king. Besides giving C the probable 
chance of making one or both of his small trumps by 
ruffing. 

The trump card should never be forgotten, no matter 
how small, for until it is played you know the position 
of this trump, and this information is sometimes worth 
several tricks. Suppose the 5 is turned by partner. You 
call, holding k, qu, and three small. Partner answers by 
leading the ace, and follows with the deuce. You know, 
if the opponents follow suit in these two rounds, that 
they can have no more trumps, even though you do not 
recollect a card that has fallen. Partner must have the 
5 and one more, because holding ace, 5, 2, only, he would 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 323 

have led the ace, then 5, but knowing that he had the 5 
turned you read that he has the 5 and one more. Had 
you failed to note the card turned, you might be totally 
in the dark as to where the other two cards of the suit 
lay. Remembering the card turned may be of value to 
you in various ways. Take this simple case: Partner turns 
the 6, the opponents lead trumps, you take the second 
round. In these two rounds your partner played the 3 
and 4. You now open your suit with ace; partner is void; 
you follow with a small one knowing he will ruff with the 
6 — the card turned. 

There is a great deal of clever strategy based upon the 
knowledge of the card turned, and many a brilliant play 
is made possible by it, and it follows that it should not 
be missed. Make it a rule to impress upon your mind 
the rank of the card turned, before a card is played, and 
while it is lying upon the table. This should be the 
first tax upon your memory, 



324 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER X. 



OVERTRUMPING. 



The ordinary whist player is too prone to jump at 
every trick that he can take, simply because he can take 
it, never pausing to consider if he may not have a better 
thing to do. Such players play the hand as if they ex- 
pected to take the thirteen tricks. No trick should be 
taken until you have looked the field over carefully. 
It will, it is true, mostly turn out that you decide to take 
the trick, but occasionally you will see your way clear to 
refuse to take. This means that you have simply de- 
ferred your privilege for a round or two, and by the play 
enabled yourself to take from the opponent an extra 
trick — by way of interest. 

Only the experienced whist player has the strength to 
resist the temptation to overtrump; the novice invariably 
takes the bait, and by doing so may ruin a great game. 
The veteran calmly examines the situation in all its 
phases, and often to his advantage. He reasons that if 
he overtrumps he must lead something, and whether he 
can lead to advantage is a matter of concern. He knows 
that if he is only moderately strong, that by weakening 
his trump suit, his remaining trumps may then be drawn. 
He will first carefully note if he has a card which maybe 
thrown away to advantage. His own hand only will not 
be considered, but that of his partner as well; for if he 
does not overtrump, his partner will then be last player 
to the next trick — a " coigne of vantage." The adversary 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 325 

who has trumped may be forced to lead up to a tenace, 
and the trick at once recovered and a trump saved for 
service later on. It is very often best to refuse to over- 
trump your adversary early in the hand when you have 
just four trumps and a strong hand besides. You are 
very much in the same position as though forced by ad- 
versary ; if you overtrump, your hand is very much 
weakened, and you have then abated your chances of 
getting out the trumps. By injudicious overtrumping 
in such situations you may utterly ruin a great hand. If 
you do not overtrump, partner will read your position, 
and if he gets in he will lead you a trump, for your play 
demands a trump from partner. 

You must never lose sight of the fact that opposite 
you sits Si partner, who, like you, should be on the alert. 
The trick you refuse to take places the lead, and this 
may make a clear trick for partner, and you are left with 
your trumps intact. Besides you will be in so much 
better position to claim the subsequent trick in lieu of 
the one you passed. As a rule, you do not pass the 
opportunity to take a trick by overtrumping, or otherwise, 
if you clearly relinquish your power to afterwards take a 
trick in its stead — and the advantage in position to boot. 
Your refusal to overtrump is in the nature of a finesse or 
underplay for position, to enable you to take a trick that 
you otherwise would lose. 

As a rule, you gladly embrace the opportunity to over- 
trump if you are weak and the adversaries are strong, or 
if you are strong enough to overtrump and still lead 
trumps. In whist, as in chess, the end from the opening 
must be in view. You must look ahead. Early in the 
struggle a plan must be formed by a train of careful 
reasoning, and the final success prepared for. Prepa- 
ratory arrangements must be made. Players who play for 



326 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

the instant trick have small use for the markers — their 
opponents usually do the scoring. 

Enough has been said under this head to put the 
young player upon his guard about overtrumping with- 
out first carefully analyzing the situation. For illustra- 
tions see " Critical Endings." 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3 2 7 



CHAPTER XI. 

BLOCKING PARTNER IN THE TRUMP SUIT. 

While there is no possibility of blocking partner's 
trump suit, as you do his plain suit — /. e., prevent him 
from making the long cards in it, you may, however, block 
him in his endeavor to draw the opponents' trumps. 
This may be very disastrous; take the following simple 
case: — 




V "I* 4* 

4* 4* 
4* 4y I 4^ 



C turned the 9. 

1. — B leads k; D plays 2; A plays 3; C plays 5. 

2. — B leads 10; D plays 8; A plays 4; C plays 6. 



328 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



B showed that he led from the sequence of 10 to k 
exactly, and while A knows that the 10 led by B will 
win, he must not thoughtlessly play the 4. A, here, 
blocks his partner, for when B goes on with the qu, A 
must take, leaving C with the 9; and C may make the 
9 before B gets in again to draw it. Again: — 




4 


4- 
4 




4" 


4- 
* 
* 



+ * 


* 




* * 
+ 

* * 


+1 

4. 








B 




c 


A 


D 



•?• 4> -i' ♦ 
4" 




* * +1 
*• * 

♦ 4* 4*| 



1. — B leads kn; D plays 8; A plays ace; C plays 4. 

The play of the kn marks the k, qu, and at least two 
others with B. D playing the 8 is notice to A that C has 
most likely four or more trumps. A should, however, 
play the ace, and — 

2. — A leads 10; C plays 5; B plays 2; D plays 9. 

This leaves the option with B, who, not being strong 
enough to take the 10, passes, although he knows that A 
has no more to give him, B must take the chance of get- 
ting the lead to draw C's remaining trumps before C may 
make them by ruffing. Had B held the 9 he would then 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3 2 9 



have taken the 10. With ace and two more, either in 
trumps or plain suits, pass the kn led by partner. If you 
suspect that your partner has led the kn from weakness 
you will or will not cover as it may suit your hand. You 
should at all times be on the alert not to block partner 
in his effort to exhaust the trumps. You may sometimes 
deem it best to get out of partner's way in trumps, even 
when you cannot by any play hinder him in drawing all 
the trumps, simply to avoid the lead. As: — 



A* 
Y*. 



Y 
•ft v 



B 

C D 

A 


* 
* 


* * 

* * 




* 

* 


+ 1 




* 






I- 


^ * 








4. 


4. . v 

*** 


*** 

Y 

* * 


4* 







1. — B leads 7; D plays 3; A plays ace; C plays kn. 

2. — A leads 2; C discards; B plays qu; D plays 4. 

3. — B leads k; D plays 5; A plays 10; C discards. 

A plays the 10 here; B knows that A must have the 8 
or 6, and that he evidently does not want the lead. A 
knows that B must have the 9, and as B is marked with 
winning cards A, very properly, plays so that he can 
avoid taking the lead from B. 



33° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XII 



THE SUIT ECHO. 



When trumps have been exhausted, or when the oppo- 
nents are leading them, or at any time when it is evident 
to partner that you do not want trumps led, you can 
show strength or a master card in a suit by employing 
the same order of play as you do in calling for trumps. 
Suppose that trumps are out, or the long ones with 
partner or opponents, and partner is leading his winning 
cards in a plain suit — as under 




i. — B leads k; D plays 5; A plays 3; C plays 7. 

2. — B leads ace; D plays 8; A plays 2; C plays 9. 

A shows B by his play of 3 then 2, that he has the qu, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 331 

and B goes on with the suit. Negative inference may be 
valuable here, for if A did not echo under the above cir- 
cumstances B would change the suit, knowing that 
the qu was surely against. The inference is that if A 
could assist he would proclaim it, and if he does not he 
says to partner, " When you play your master cards in 
the suit change the suit, for I can give no help in this 
suit." This play is often of great value and is very prac- 
ticable. It can be used in a variety of ways and under 
widely different phases. Suppose partner opens the 
hand with kn of trumps; you have not one; your discard 
is from your weakest suit, but it may happen that it is 
injudicious to do so, owing to the unusual character of 
your hand. For example, you hold ace, k, 10, 9, 8, 4, 
3, d; k, qu, 10, c; k, qu, 4, h; and no spade — trumps. 
It would not do to discard from the h or c suit, as it 
would greatly impair their value, and as you have no 
trumps to help partner you must give him all the assist- 
ance in your power in the plain suits. If you discard 
the 3 d, partner will read this as your weakest suit, but if 
you discard first the 4 then 3, you proclaim it as your best. 
Partner will so read, and if he succeeds in exhausting 
the trumps, he will lead you a strengthening card of the 
suit, and a great game will follow. It matters not who is 
leading trumps, you can show your great suit by this 
play. Take the above example, and suppose that one 
of the opponents opened the hand with trumps, 
then your discard should be from your best protected 
suit — the diamond, and partner would read it as such; 
but it is unusual to make more than one discard from 
your great suit, as you make the one discard to show the 
suit, and then change to your weakest suit and throw it, 
if practicable, entirely away. Here you may be forced 
to discard three or possibly four cards from this suit if 



33 2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the opponents persist in trumps, and you run the risk of 
partner reading this as a worthless three or four card 
suit, if you discard it in 3, 4, 8 order. In fact he must 
so read. He would reason, in the event of your making 
three or more discards from the suit, " This must be 
partner's worthless suit, for if he has any master cards in 
it then it must have been an unusually strong one, and 
he would have echoed in it; not echoing he can have no 
more of the suit." Discard in this order — 4, 3, 8 — and 
partner will read the play. Here, for instance: — 




a, 4 


4> 4»| 


i 


n 

0^0 
0^0 



M 



* * 


9 9 
9 9 
9 9 


♦ 
* 


19 9 





o 

♦ <> 



o 
o o 



A opens the hand with qu c, trumps. It will not do 
for D to discard a card from either the h or d suits. D 
knows that he will have to make two or more discards, if 
A persists in trumps. The spade suit is absolutely worth- 
less, and D must discard from it despite the rule, and 
discards from the lowest up, and not echoing in it 
partner will read the situation and give D fair h and d. 
It is perhaps, unnecessary to call attention to the fact that 
care must be taken that you may complete the echo, or 
that you can show that you had an opportunity to echo 
and did not, or you may deceive partner. If you are 
reasonably sure that you will make two or more discards 
before partner gets in, you run no risk. If you are not 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



333 



sure of this, then you must carefully consider the sit- 
uation. 

When you echo strength in a suit, or a master card, it 
is direct and positive information, and here lies the great 
advantage Negative inference may leave partner in 
doubt and put him to a guess — a choice of two suits; 
but there is no mistaking this play, and it often enables 
you to preserve intact a medium weak suit. In echoing a 
master card in a plain suit that partner is leading, when 
he knows that you do not want trumps led, you have no 
risk to run, and you should never fail to make the play 
when you have the opportunity. If you do not echo, 
partner will change the suit, and your master card or 
cards may not make. If you do not echo partner must 
change the suit, on the same principle that if you have 
an opportunity to echo four or more trumps to partner's 
call or lead, and do not do so, partner must give you less 
than four. Once more: — 



•*■ * * 

•X< »j- .J- 




B 



A 



D 



4» A * <• v ■*• v 4» 



i * 

1 




[**• V *«• *i" 




* * 

1* * * 






* * 
* 

* * 



334 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — B leads k; D plays ace; A plays 3; C plays 6. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads kn; D plays 7; A plays 5; C 
discards. 

3. — B leads qu; D plays 8; A plays 4; C discards. B 
now gives A the 10, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 335 



CHAPTER XIII. 



FINESSE. 



This term is applicable to any form of strategy, under- 
play or artifice. The general player is acquainted with 
only the simplest forms of finesse, such as B holding the 
major tenace and one or more small, to a low card led 
by A, plays qu, taking the chance that king is to his 
right. Many players imagine that finesse is an artifice 
to be practiced only by third hand ; it belongs, however, 
to every seat at the table. Fourth hand may refuse to 
take a trick ; leader and second hand may underplay. 
You cannot lay down specific rules governing finesse. 
Finesse belongs to the highest order of play, and can 
only be practiced profitably by players of experience and 
good whist judgment. Rob whist of finesse, and you 
take from the game its greatest charm. 

You must always recollect, when planning any finesse, 
that if your finesse loses, the immediate loss is nearly 
always modified, provided, of course, that your finesse 
was justifiable, or turned into a gain in after play; for 
you have thrown the lead, and what appears to be the 
loss of a trick is frequently equivalent to a gain of two. 
By your finesse you have made yourself last player in the 
next round, which is a position of advantage, and you 
may command the play to your subsequent gain. Finesse 
may not be considered per se. If B, for instance, 
finesses against only one card, this one card — barring 
any information to the contrary — is just as likely to be 



336 - MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

with D as with C, and the chances of the finesse winning 
or losing are exactly even; but it must not be forgotten 
that there is a chance of B's card that would have won, 
had he not finessed, not making afterwards, so that if 
you examine any finesse from the single-suit standpoint 
it will not bear analysis. The key to the question as to 
whether any finesse is justifiable must be found in the 
hand of the one who makes the finesse, viewed in con- 
junction with the stage of the hand, the previous play 
and the state of the score. All third-hand finesse in 
partner's suit may be said to be unsound if judged from 
the single-suit standpoint, but this is not the key to the 
merit of a finesse. The immediate success or failure of 
a finesse has likewise nothing to do with determining the 
merit of the play. 

The varieties of finesse are infinite, and there are so 
many things to be considered that modify or render 
finesse either obligatory or out of the question, that no 
attempt will be made to do more than give a few general 
hints and illustrations. The art of finessing must be 
learned from long experience and practice with fine 
players — not from the books. The play of third hand in 
reference to finessing in plain suits, will first be con- 
sidered. 

Finesse Proper — Ace, Queen. {Third Hand) 

The simplest form of finesse is the finesse proper; i. e., 
to a small card led by partner, you holding ace, queen 
and one or more, finesse the queen. This finesse you 
usually make, for, if king is to your left guarded, it must 
make. About the only disposition of the cards which 
insures a loss is when you find the king single to your 
left. It is usually unfortunate when any finesse loses to 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



337 



the only card opponent has of the suit. Such situations 
are, however, comparatively rare, and generally the play 
and the character of your hand will warn you when such 
is likely. Early in the play of the hand this finesse is 
nearly always right. Holding ace, queen only, you do 
not finesse for the reason that if the king is against, you 
have but little chance of catching it if in second hand. 
If you hold only two cards in the suit, the king is almost 
sure to be more than singly guarded ; besides, if you 
finesse and it wins, you return the ace, and if partner has 
not the king he has not control of the suit. For ex- 
ample : — 





c 


B 
A 


D 


4 4j 




4 




M 



+ 4 



4 
4 
4 


* 
4 


* 
* 




4 




* 
* 



4 4 

4 
4 4 

4 4 



4 4 
4 4 
4 4 



4 4 
4 

4 4 



i. — A leads 5; C plays 2; B plays qu; D plays 4. 
2. — B leads ace; D plays 8; A plays 3; C plays 9. 
C is in command for the third round, and A must lead 
another round in order to clear up the suit. On the 



338 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

other hand, if B plays ace, and returns the queen, it 
forces the play of k and leaves A in command for the 
third round. The earlier in the play of a suit you effect 
its establishment the more advantageous it is. B should 
endeavor to so play, no matter what cards he holds, that 
A may be in command not later than the third round. 
Gain, in the suit in which B makes the major tenace 
finesse, is much more likely to occur when B holds four 
or five cards in the suit. In trumps B does not make the 
major tenace finesse if (1) partner has led trumps to stop 
a cross-ruff, or for other reasons it is obviously best to 
have two rounds at all hazards; (2) if partner on the first 
round, second hand, puts on ace to a small card led, and 
then at once leads trumps, you should play ace and return 
qu irrespective of the number you hold, as partner's play is 
indicative of great strength, and you are not justified in 
making even the " proper finesse." If partner had made 
a successful finesse it becomes your duty, if expedient, 
to follow up the advantage. Suppose A leads a small 
card, and B wins with the kn or 10, and does not return 
the suit, A must give B the opportunity to reap full ad- 
vantage of the finesse, by leading the suit again through C. 

Ace, Knave — Finesse. 

Holding ace, knave and others, or ace, knave, 10, the 
kn or 10 is a fair finesse. You credit your partner with 
an honor, especially if an original lead of the hand, or 
his first lead, and your finesse is against one card, and it 
is an even chance that the card is to your right. It is 
always understood that the play, your hand, the score 
and the stage of the game justify finessing. If you do 
not have a good reason for finessing aside from the bare 
idea of gaining an immediate trick, you do not finesse— 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



339 



but play ace. Holding ace, knave and others, or ace, 
kn, 10, you do not finesse, as a rule, if you hold more 
than four cards. If partner has led from strength in the 
suit, that is, numerical strength, you must be careful 
how you finesse with any holding, for one or both of the 
opponents must be short, and there is not a normal 
second round. If partner leads a small card, like the 2 
or 3, this danger is not imminent. Take this case : — 



1* * 
1* * 


+ 




!•** v •#• 




W 1 


g 


V: 



4» ~^~ .4 

- h-.<} 




*** 

*** 




* 
* 



B 



* * 
*** 

^. 4. 




* * 
4. 4. 

+ 4- 



D 



+ * 

* 

+ * 



1. — A leads 3; C plays 7; B plays 10; D plays 4. 

B, holding the deuce, knows that A has led from just 
four cards, and that five are against; here the suit is 
likely to live two rounds, besides, if B has a fair hand, 
he will now lead trumps. As the cards happen to lie, 
B's finesse is a clear gain. Reverse the cards of C and 



34° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



D, the finesse then loses, and the qu makes. It must be 
understood that B would not finesse the 10 here, unless 
it left his hand in good condition in the event of the 
finesse losing. If B's finesse fails, he is then last player 
to the next trick, and if this is not an advantage to B, it 
is one good reason why he should not finesse. You 
observe that B should not finesse singly with the idea of 
gaining an immediate trick by the play, for it is an even 
chance that the finesse fails. He should, therefore, see 
more than this mere chance, he should see a fair chance 
to gain a trick in the subsequent play of another suit, to 
compensate him in the event of his finesse ultimately 
losing a trick in the suit. Here is another case: — 






* ' * A A 
*A* 

v *t* t* *y 



B 



D 






•i» »j» ♦ 







* * 

*** 
* A 




A A 
* + 




A A 
A A 




* 



i. — A leads 7; C plays 5; B plays 6; D plays 4. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 341 

B knows that A has either k, 9, 8, or qu, 9, 8, and must 
either throw the ace or pass the trick. The first thing B 
should do is to carefully examine his hand. He knows 
it is an even chance that the 7 will win the trick. B also 
knows that if he passes (and the 7 holds the trick) A 
will, if he has even a fair hand, lead trumps, and this 
feature of it must be considered. Then, in the event of 
the 7 losing to either k or qu, does it leave B in good 
position ? These are the things that B must weigh. Now, 
suppose that B holds ace, qu, 10, 4 of trumps, king, kn 
and small, king and small in the other suits — he decides 
at once to pass, for if the trick goes to D his position is 
most excellent; for no matter what D leads, B, most 
likely, recovers at once. There is this in favor of pass- 
ing — if it wins, the play is very informatory, as A reads 
that the suit is as good as established, and with a fair, 
helping hand A will lead trumps. 

King, Knave — Finesse. 

Holding king, knave only, or with one small, play king, 
and return the knave, and let partner judge if the finesse 
should be made — if any. Holding king, knave and two 
small, to a small card led, you may finesse knave, if your 
hand warrants it. If, in the event of the finesse failing, 
throwing the lead is of no benefit to you, do not finesse, 
for you are rarely ever justified in making any finesse 
for the one suit alone. 



King, Ten — Finesse. 

Holding king, 10 and others to a small card led, the 
10 is a good finesse at times. If partner leads a very 



342 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

small card — say the 2, 3 or 4, and you hold king, 10, or 
king, 10, 9 and one or more small, and you are in a posi- 
tion that warrants any finessing, the 10 or 9 is a fair 
finesse. If the lead is from a suit headed by the knave, 
the finesse is against the queen, and it is an even chance 
that this card is to your right, and your 10 or 9 forces 
the ace. If both ace, qu are to your right, the finesse 
wins; if the reverse they must, of course, make. If you 
find the qu to your left the finesse may result in loss, it 
may lose, because it is understood that the finesse is not 
made for this one suit alone. If partner opened the suit 
with qu high the finesse is against the knave, and if to 
your right the finesse is in your favor, if to the left it 
loses. If the lead is from the ace up, and the qu, kn 
are both to your right the finesse wins; if to the left, the 
finesse may lose a trick. It is the practice of most play- 
ers to avoid finesse in partner's suit, and the rule is 
sound as a general principle. The advantage likely to 
be gained from throwing the lead, in case the finesse 
fails, should be well considered before making this or 
any other speculative finesse. 

When a low card is led, you know, if the lead is 
from strength, that the card led is the fourth-best, and 
that the leader has three cards of the suit higher than 
the one led; knowing this you will or will not finesse 
against one card as the situation warrants. When part- 
ner's lead is from evident weakness, your finesse may be 
deep, very deep, if an attempt to take the trick endan- 
gers your command of the suit. Suppose the following: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



343 



***a'^ 


r*~i 


4, ' 4- 




+ .1* 


_*__ 




4. 4. 

*.* 
+** 

4. 4. 


4^ 
4. 4. 
4. 4. 


4> 4. 
4, 4. 



1. — A leads 9; C plays 5; B plays 2; D plays qu. 

B knows that the lead is forced, and, unless B is very 
anxious to have the lead, it would be folly to play the 
ace, although B knows that either k or qu, possibly both, 
are to his left. B can gain nothing by putting up the 
ace, for this will leave both king and qu against, and he 
may not take another trick in the suit, besides the com- 
mand is at once transferred to the opponents. 

Finesse is not confined to high cards, and when you 
get far into a suit you may finesse with your small cards 
— say with 7, 5, you finesse the 5 against the possible 6. 
Besides, if you have carefully noted the fall of the cards, 
the data will often insure you against any possible loss. 



344 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Finesse Obligatory. 
Finesse may be obligatory; suppose this case: — 



•{«•$• •$■•{<{ 


♦ 


* 










t- : : 






m. 


^•i. 


uL 


* 



A 4= A A 

A 

A A a 4. 

^* v "5* *t* 



B 



*A* 
* 



D 



* * 

J. A 



i. — A leads 3; C plays 9; B play*, qu; D plays 2. 

2. — B leads 7; D plays 4; A plays 8; C plays kn. 

A makes an obligatory finesse, he knows that the ace, 
possibly the kn also, is with C, but he must play the 8, 
or he will not take a trick in the suit, besides giving up 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



345 



the command. Finesse in this form is often, very often, 
thrust upon you, and there is no escape from it — the 
finesse must be made. This arbitrary form of finesse 
presents itself in a great variety of ways, and should 
always be made, or you lose command of the suit and 
possibly a trick or two besides. Take this case: — 



* 


* * 
+*+ 


* 
* 




1. — A leads 2; C plays qu; B plays ace; D plays 6. 

2. — B leads 9; D plays 7; A must play the 4; he 
knows the k is surely to his left, possibly the 10 also, 
but he must finesse against the 10; to put up the knave 
would be an egregious blunder, for in any event the con- 



346 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



trol would be lost together with the trick. (D should 
have covered the 9.) Again: — 



4. 4. 

*** 
4. 4. 


14. 4, 
4. 4, 


* 

* 




*** 

4. 4, 
4. 4. 


4, 4, 
4. 4. 
4. 4. 



4. 4> 

* 

4. 4. 



i. — A leads 5; C plays k; B plays 2; D plays 3. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 9; D plays 10; A plays 6; C 
plays ace. 

A refuses to put up the qu even though the trick is 
against him, trusting that C has ace single. A trick may 
be lost if A puts up the qu, even though C has three of 
the suit originally. Give C the 2 that B holds in the 
last illustration, and then: — 

1. — A leads 5; C plays k; B plays 4; D plays 3. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 9; D plays 10; A plays 6; C 
plays 2. 

Now, if trumps come out and DJeads the suit, either 
8 or kn, A must still underplay with the 7, and if A leads 
it he leads the 7, and must make the qu. Had A put 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



347 



up the qu on the second round, he must have lost every 
trick in the suit. 

Finesse by Trial. 

The opportunity for making this form of finesse, 
second hand, is of very frequent occurrence, and is often 
missed. All forms of finesse, or subtle tries for gain 
away from the routine ruts, require skill and good judg- 
ment, and this finesse is no exception. For example: — 



* 


* 


* 




* * 






* 



4> 4- 
4* 

* * 

* * 


* * 

* * 

* * 





B 




C 


A 


D 



M 5 f i: ' 




* * 
*** 




* 


4* 




* 






4. 4. 




* 


4* 




* 



* + 

►$• ■!• •!• 4*1 



i. — A leads 3; C plays 5; B plays qu; D plays 2. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 4; C plays 8; B plays 6; D 
plays 10. 

C finesses the 8, speculating that the k may be with 
A and the kn with D; B cannot have kn. Care must be 



34§ 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



taken, in making this finesse, in plain suits, as to whether 
the suit is likely to go three times with your left-hand 
opponent. When you make this form of finesse, you 
should usually be prepared to lead trumps at once in the 
event of the finesse winning. Partner should take the 
cue and carefully consider the advisability of a trump 
lead when it is evident that partner has, as here, under- 
played, for strength in trumps is always a justification 
for this finesse. Take this instance: — 



+ * 



* * 



A 






I* 



*A* 



* * 



D 



* * 
4. 4. 



* * * * 

•> -J* 4* 4* 




*r T* **• 
* * *' 




* * 


* 



i. — A leads 6; C plays 5; B plays k; D plays 3, 
2 (A to lead). — A leads 7; C plays kn; knowing that 
B has not the qu. This is, in fact, not a finesse, but 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 349 

simply correct second-hand play. Again : Suppose A 
leads the 2, from qu, 9, 3, 2; C plays 4 — holding ace, 10, 
4; B plays kn; D the k. Now, if A leads the suit 
again, C plays 10, finessing against the possible qu in B's 
hand. 

Finesse may at times be very deep to make or save a 
game. You will often find yourself in a position where 
it is evident that nothing but deep and persistent finesse 
will save a trick. Likewise when partner leads you the 
highest of three as a strengthening play, and it finds you 
but moderately strong you may finesse deeply, and if the 
suit is again led — if necessary — finesse again, and in this 
way husband your strength and keep control. You may 
at times finesse deeply in trumps, particularly near the 
close of the hand. Finesse in the first few rounds of the 
hand is mainly speculative, but after the play has ad- 
vanced the inferences you have drawn, both positive and 
negative, may often direct you to successful finesse. You 
may finesse upon the very first lead of all. as, holding 
ace, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, you lead the 4. Later on you may, 
holding the long trump or for other reasons, lead small 
from ace, k, or k, qu and others, trusting to partner for 
the first trick. 

All finesse is speculative, and while finesse has been 
subdivided under different heads, the various modes are 
all strategic tries for gain that may be classed as 
theoretic. 



The Return Finesse. 

This form of underplay has been termed the "return 
finesse." It is finessing upon the return of the adversary's 
suit — leading through the moderately strong hand up to 



35° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



the announced weakness of the right-hand opponent. 
Here is an example: — 



!•§. -i- -j- .j. 

! * 
i 4. .j. 4. .{. 



B 



A 






♦ ! 






D 


111 










( 






4. 4. 
4. * 


* + 

* 
4* * 





1. — A leads 5; C plays 8; B plays 10; D plays kn. 

2. — D leads 3; A plays 6; C plays 9, B plays 2. 

D here makes the return finesse and C's 9 makes. 

3 (D to lead). — D leads 4, A plays 7; C plays k; B 
renounces. 

D's return finesse being successful, he is enabled to 
count the hands and at trick three again leads small 
through A, who, by the finesse, is rendered powerless. 

The Finesse on Partner. 



You may finesse on the return of partner's suit, forc- 
ing him to play his best that you may remain with the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



351 



command. This at times may be very advantageous. 
Suppose the following: — 



4» 4» 



4. 4, 



4- 4- 4- 
4-4-4- 


B 

C D 

A 




4-4-4- 

4- 
4-4-4- 




4-4-4- 

4- 4- 
4-4-4* 




4.4.4.4. 

4- 4- 

4- 4-4*4- 




4. 4> 
4. 4, 



4. 4. 

* 

4, 4. 



1. — A leads 5; C plays 6; B plays qu; D trumps. 

Eventually trumps come out — B in the lead; he reads 
that he is longer in the suit than A, and that the king 
must make, if against. 

2. — B leads 2; D renounces; A plays kn; C plays 7. 

3. — A leads k; C plays 8; B plays 3; D renounces. 

A now leads the 9; B wins with ace, and the 4 makes, 



352 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



UNDERPLAY. 



Underplay is a species of finesse, sometimes called 
"holding up." It is an artifice practiced by the expert 
— a coup, a deviation from routine play, and if well 
judged may be very effective. It requires, however, the 
keenest whist perception, and the most accurate sense of 
the situation to practice it with profit. The purpose of 
underplay is to make a trick or more that could not be 
made by ordinary conventional play. It is holding up 
the winning card, refusing to take the trick or finessing 
upon the lead. It may be made by any player at the 
table. Being an extempore stratagem, based upon the 
unusual character of the hand, or the fall of the cards, 
no rules can be formulated to meet this exigency. The 
student can best gain an idea of this artifice by 
examples. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



353 



Underplay by Leader. 



1 4, 4. 4. 



+ 4- 4- 
i * * 
4* 4* 4* 




B 



D 



4* 4* 
4* 

* 4* 

* 4» 




4- 4» 
4* * 
4* 4* 



* * 

4* 
4» 4- 



4» 4» 4» 4- 

* * 

4* 4* 4* 1- 




4* 4* 4* 4* 

* 
4»4 , 4* 4* 



This is A's best suit, he has five small trumps and 
small cards in the other suits. The hand is exceptional; 
if he leads the ace the suit is valueless; he opens with the 
fourth-best — a departure from conventional play; ordi- 
narily the ace would be led. Here the leader finesses 
upon the lead — underplays. 

1. — A leads 5; C plays 3; B plays kn; D plays 4. 

2 (A to lead). — A leads 2; C plays 8; B plays qu; D 
plays 9. 



354 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



A underplays again — holding up the ace. 
Second hand must be on the alert for this finesse by 
leader. 

Here is another example of underplay by leader. 



*a* 



"$• 4* •$• 





B 




c 


A 


D 



\£M a^a 
v KM? a •«• 

s»( |A^*A 



A A 

A A 


* 
* 



>£. 4. .$• 

* * * 



>5* 4* >S» 
* * * 



* *1 



1. — A leads ace; C plays k; B plays 9; D plays 2. 

2. — A leads 4; C discards; B plays kn; D plays 5. 

A underplays with the 4; the first round disclosing the 
fact that C has no more; B the kn or no more or calling, 
and that D has four more. A has fair strength in trumps 
and does not object to taking the chance of forcing B, if 
he has none of the suit. A knows that if he leads the qu, 
C will most surely trump, but if he underplays the four 
C may risk the best card with D. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Underplay by Second Hand. 
Here is an example of underplay by second hand: — 



355 



4 * +1 



4- 4* 4 

•*■ 4* 4i 



* 

.J- .J..J- 


* 

4 




4 





c 



*A* 
A*A 


A A 

* 
A A 

A A 



A 




A A 



D 



A A 
A A 




* 



First Trick.— A leads 4 ; C plays 3; B plays 10; D 
plays kn. 

Second Trick.— (A to lead) A plays 5; C plays 6; B 
plays 7; D plays k. 

C underplays the second round trusting the trick to D. 
A cannot have both k and qu, and unless B has finessed 
the first round, D will win the trick and C will be left 
with a tenace over the leader. D should here lead trumps 
even if moderately strong in them, and when they come 
out, or when B is exhausted, D will lead the 2 through A, 
and C D will have four tricks in A's suit. 



356 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Underplay — - Third Hand. 

The difference between finesse proper and underplay 
third hand is usually this: you finesse with the hope that 
your finesse may win the trick; you underplay knowing 
that the trick will go to fourth hand — the object being 
to place the lead. Suppose your partner, late in hand, 
leads you the 6 — trumps, second hand puts on 7; you 
hold k, 8, 3, with one trick to make, to save, or win the 
game, you play 8, and your king must give you the 
needed trick, as you now are last player. 



Underplay — Fourth Hand. 

Fourth hand is, perhaps, in the best position to 
hold up or underplay. Suppose this case: — 



*** 




* * 




* 
4. 




MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



357 



First Trick. — A leads k; C plays 5; B plays 3; D 
plays 2. 

A shows (to D) but qu and two others by the play, 
and if he goes on with the suit, giving B the ace, D 
makes two tricks in the suit, for by the underplay he 
preserved to himself the perfect tenace. Here is another 
phase: — 




4. 4. 
4. 4. 
4. 4- 





c 


B 

A 


D 


4 4 4. 




+ * * 

4 4. 4 




4444* 

4 4 

4444 



4. 4. 

*** 
4, 4. 



4, 4, 





* ! 


* 
*> 


+ 


* 


* 


* 


* 



First Trick. — A leads 2; C plays 7; B plays qu; D 
plays 4. 

D has a wretchedly weak hand in suit, with three 
trumps, say — ace, 10, 3; if he takes the trick, he must 
open one of his weak suits, and he notes that C has 
played the 7; he may be calling; if so, his trumps are 
excellent for answering. A has shown but four in suit 
by the lead of the 2. 

Second Trick. — B returns k; D plays ace; A plays 8; 



358 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

C plays 3, and D is in to answer the call, and a great 
game may result from D's holding up the ace the first 
round. 

Do not forget that you must do the closest figuring, 
weighing every phase of the situation before attempting 
to gain by this strategy. If you do not exercise such 
precaution you will lose more tricks than you wilJ gain. 
Coups are not common, neither are they common play, 
and, to be successful, must be practiced with the most 
scrupulous care. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 359 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE DISCARD. 

You must exercise care and good judgment in dis- 
carding. This is a matter of prime importance. Your 
first discard is as significant as your original lead. There 
are general rules governing the original discard, but it is 
impossible to formulate specific rules for second and 
later discards. For discards late in hand, you must be 
guided by the fall of the cards and the character of 
your hand. Many a game is thrown away by injudicious 
discarding. You are sometimes put to the discard when 
you have no data to direct you, but, in the majority of 
cases, the fall of the cards will assist you. You will find 
that the subject of discarding is worthy of much more 
consideration than is usually bestowed upon it. 

Original Discard. 

Your original discard is from your weakest suit, the 
suit in which you are the least likely to make a trick. It 
is understood, however, that this is before strength in 
trumps has been declared by the opponents. If partner 
has asked for trumps, or led them, it does not affect 
this rule — you still discard from your weakest suit. If 
the opponents have first called or first led trumps, your 
first discard is from your best protected suit. When 
trumps are declared against you, you play a defensive 
game, and husband what little strength you have in your 
weak suits — not weaken them by discarding from them. 



3 6 ° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



When trumps are declared in your favor, you play an 
aggressive game, fearlessly weakening your weak suits 
and keeping your long suits intact. If, however, at the 
time you are put to the discard it is demonstrable to 
both yourself and partner that the balance of power in 
trumps will ultimately be in your favor, notwithstanding 
the fact that your opponents have first called or first led 
them, your discard should be from your weakest suit, 
and partner should so read. So, also, if partner has 
called or is leading trumps, and the fall clearly shows 
that the strength and command of trumps must in the 
end be against you, you should put yourself upon the 
defensive and discard from your best protected suit. 
For instance: 



frfY - 


t^«fe^ 


H 


m 



* 


* 


1 




* 


* 


* 


* 




* 



A ' A 

.s.4* . 



A A 
4» . 4» 
*** 
A A 




A A 
*A 
A A 

4* 

4« * 



4« A * [** 

A A A A 

4^ 4* 4* 4> 





B 




G 




D 




A 





First Trick. — D leads 2; A plays 6; 
plays qu. 



C plays 3; B 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



361 



Second Trick.— B leads 8; D plays k; A plays 7; C 
plays 5. 

Third Trick (B to lead).— B plays 9; D plays ace— A 
should here discard from his weakest suit, and C from 
his best protected suit, for although D first led trumps, 
the command and numerical strength is marked with B, 
Again, suppose D deals and turns the 8, and the trumps 
lie as under — 







1 






B 




* * +1 


rapl 


c 




D 






A 








4» "fri 



*!• *S* *J" '■J* 



"1* "J* *$* *S* 

►J. .J. -J. -f. 




*• 4* 4* 
* * 

1* 4- + 



+ 



First Trick. — A leads 2; C plays 3; B plays ace; D 
plays kn. 

D shows the sequence of kn, 10, 9, 8. 

Second Trick. — C leads k; B's discard here should be 
from his best protected suit, for it is evident to A and B 
that trumps are unquestionably against them. Once 
more: A leads 3; C plays 2; B, having no trump, dis- 
cards from his best suit, for it is evident that nine trumps 
are with the opponents. 



362 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

There is a dual purpose in the conventional mode of 
discarding, for it points to your weakest and strongest 
suits in either a positive or negative manner, and this 
information is of the utmost importance to partner, and, 
aside from imparting this information, it is the proper 
mode of play, even if your own hand is only considered, 
as it increases your chances of taking tricks. You must 
bear in mind that it is your first discard, made before 
you have had a lead, that is so important. If you have 
had the lead before being put to the discard, the suit 
you opened is supposed to be your best and longest suit; 
and your discards then may be such as you deem best, 
as you have already informed partner of your best suit, 
and should you subsequently discard from the suit you 
originally opened, the fact remains that this suit was 
your best suit. 

Early in the hand it is dangerous tounguardan honor, 
or blank an ace, and you should be careful about dis- 
carding a singleton. It may turn out that the suit of 
which you hold a single card is your partner's great suit, 
and you may throw away the only chance you have of 
getting your partner in the lead by parting with this 
single card. If trumps are in your favor and partner is 
playing the strong game, you may then with less hesita- 
tion unguard the honor or throw the singleton. 

If the play reveals the fact that partner has no card of 
the suit yon wish led, or that it is unlikely that he will 
get in, you may by discard show it as your weak suit, to 
induce your left-hand opponent to lead it up to you. 

If it is evident that you will be put to two, three or 
more discards, and you have two suits of about equal 
strength from which to make them, it is generally best 
to select one of the suits and stick to it. For example: — 
Hearts — trumps — are out, and one of your opponents 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3 6 3 



has four spades to bring in — marked in his hand. You 
hold four each of clubs and diamonds, say qu or l<n up, 
and partner discards from say clubs, you should discard 
the diamonds; in this way you will together protect the 
two suits, partner keeping his diamond suit intact, and 
you the club suit. 

Discarding from Partner s Great Suit. 

If you have but two or three cards of partner's great 
suit, you should carefully consider the situation before 
you discard any of them If the opponents are left with 
the thirteenth trump, they will not part with it if they 
suspect that you are short in your partner's suit, but will 
hold it up until you have played the last card of the suit 
partner is bringing in; and if the lead is subsequently 
thrown into your hand, you will have no card of the suit 
to give partner, and loss may result. The following 
illustration will make this clear: — 



E> 


E> 


E> 


£> 






£> 


^ 


f> 



I E> E> 
£> £> £> 



<? V 




<? 9? 


<? 9 




<? 


<? <? 




<? <? 





0^0 




0% 



o o o 


c 


B 

A 


D 




o o 

o 
o o 




o o o 

o o o 












364 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

(B, trick 8, discarded deuce h.) 

D has the thirteenth trump — spades. Eight tricks 
have been gathered; A is in at trick 9 and — 

Trick Nine. — A leads kn h; C plays 7; B plays 5; D 
plays 10 d. 

D refuses to part with the last trump — if he trumps 
this trick, he loses two tricks. 

Trick Ten. — A leads, k h; C plays 8; B plays 6; D 
trumps. 

Trick Eleven. — D leads k d; A plays 7 d; C plays 3 
d; B plays ace d. 

B must now lead a d and A B do not take another 
trick. But suppose B had discarded the 8 d at trick 8 
instead of the 2 h, it is then evident that A B must make 
three tricks out of the five. Here bad play in the way 
of discarding loses a clear trick. If B had held four 
hearts here instead of three, even then he should not 
have thrown one of them, but instead the diamonds down 
to the ace. All B needed in diamonds was the single 
ace for re-entry, and it did not matter when D used his 
thirteenth trump, A B could lose but the single trick. 



Discarding a Trump. 

In the last stages of the hand you are sometimes put 
to discard, holding a winning card of two plain suits, the 
opponent holding a losing card in one of them, but 
uncertain which. In such cases, if you have a losing 
trump that will be drawn, throw it away if the oppor- 
tunity is offered, as a card may be thrown to the next 
trick that will aid you to make the correct discard. Sup- 
pose the following: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



365 



4> «4> 






Clubs trumps; D is marked with the 7, 6 and a losing 
heart or diamond but uncertain which. 

Trick Ten. — B leads k s; D trumps; A undertrumps; 
C plays 6 h. 

Here A properly retains the winning h and d, and 
throws the losing trump, knowing that D would at once 
draw it, trusting that C may throw a card that will aid 
him in determining the one unknown card in D's hand. 
A knows that there is but one heart in play other than 
his king, and when C throws the 6 h, it marks D with a 



366 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

d absolute. D now leads the thirteenth trump to which 
A throws the k h, and the qu d makes. 



The Discard Echo. 

If partner leads trumps from great strength in them, 
and you are forced to discard, having no trumps, and 
your hand is so constructed that you must discard from 
the very suit you wish partner to lead you — when he has 
exhausted the trumps of the opponents — echo in the suit. 
For example : — Hearts trumps, you hold k, qu, kn 
spades, qu, kn, to diamonds, ace, qu, 10, 8, 7, 4, 3 clubs. 
Partner opens the hand with trumps, you discard first 
the 4 and then the 3 of clubs, and partner will read the 
play and will at the proper time lead you the best club 
he holds. If you discard the 3 and the 4 from the club 
suit, partner will read it as your weakest suit and loss 
might result. 



Unblocking by Discard. 

You may sometimes block your partner's great suit by 
injudicious discarding. It often occurs that partner 
opens the hand with a trump lead, you holding but one, 
two or three trumps. Now, suppose in such a case you 
have good strength in two of the plain suits, and fair 
strength in the third; you assume that your partner's 
strong suit, if he has any, is the one in which you are 
weakest, and your discards from this suit should be such 
that you run no risk of blocking him in the event of its 
being his great suit. Your suit may be say kn, 10, 9, 2, 
and, if you suspect this, suit to be your partner's great 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



suit, yon should discard the 9 and then the to. 
following illustration will make this clear : — 



367 
The 



v m v 



V <v> 




V 








<? <? 




<? 




B 



D 




0.0 

0^0 



<P 





(6 c turned with D.) 



368 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

First Trick. — A leads k c; C plays 8; B plays 4; D 
plays 2. 

Second Trick. — A leads kn c; C plays 10; B plays 7; 
D plays 3. 

Third Trick. — A leads ace c; C discards a d; B plays 
9 c; D plays 5 c. 

Fourth Trick. — A leads qu c; C discards; B throws 9 
h; D plays 6 c. 

B reads that A's suit cannot be d as it is his (B's) best, 
besides C by discard shows it as his best. If A has a 
great suit it must be h, and probably a very long one, 
for A can have but few if any d, as B has four, and C 
most likely had five originally. B very properly throws 
the 9 h, preparing to get out of A's way in hearts. If he 
carelessly threw the 2, he would block a great game for 
A; for in this case the qu h will fall the first or second 
round, and B's sequence of kn, 10, 9 must hopelessly 
block A's suit, and B must eventually lose two tricks to 
C in diamonds. This neat point in discarding may occur 
in a variety of ways and at almost any stage of the hand. 

In the middle or end hand you may hold the ace 
(single) of a suit that has not been led, and the play may 
develop that partner must be strong in the suit — hold k, 
qu and others or the game is lost. He is drawing 
the last trumps from the opponents, you must discard, 
you hold losing cards in the suits in which the adver- 
saries are strong, and the singleton ace in the suit partner 
must be strong in to win — you should throw the ace, no 
other play will save the game. This play, it is true, may 
possibly lose a trick, but the game is lost in any event if 
partner has not control of the suit. For an illustration 
of this play see " Critical Endings." 

It is to guard against situations such as these that you 
do not blank an ace by discard. Neither do you throw 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 369 

away a singleton early in the hand, for you may find this 
apparently worthless card of great value to give to your 
partner later on, if he shows strength in the suit. Sup- 
pose C shows clubs, D spades, as their suits; you hold a 
singleton in hearts, you should not throw it away with- 
out due consideration; for if partner has anything, it 
must be in the suit of which you only hold this single 
card, and he may have no card of entry. The oppo- 
nents will not lead this suit, unless forced to, and you 
should keep this single card, especially if you have a 
re-entry card in the opponents' suits. 



General Hints on Discarding. 

You are often influenced in your first discard by know- 
ing about how many discards you will be forced to make. 
Suppose you have shown partner your suit by opening 
the hand with ace then kn; partner covers the kn with 
king, holding four cards in the suit, and goes in to 
exhaust trumps, indicating by his lead that he has also 
great numerical strength. You have no trump, and you 
know that you will be put to at least three or four dis- 
cards. You hold kn, 10, 8, 2 in one suit, qu, 8, 3, 2 in 
the other; now, if you discard first from one suit and 
then from the other, you greatly weaken both suits. In 
such cases, select the weakest suit, and discard only from 
it, throwing it entirely away, if you must, and keep the 
one suit intact. In the above instance, if you discard 
the 2 from the kn high suit, and 2, 3 from the qu suit, 
you have ruined both suits, and you stand but little 
chance of taking a trick in either. Suits containing 
only two cards are of very little value, even if one of 
the cards is a high card; for instance, k and one small, 



370 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

qu and one small. Such suits are better to discard from 
than suits of three cards in sequence even though com- 
posed of smaller cards; fOr example, kn, 10, 9. Sup- 
pose you have kn, 10, 8, 2 c; k, 3, 2 d; qu, 8, 7 s; with 
such a hand as this discard from the spade suit. If you 
discard the 2 c you have no suit left. If you must dis- 
card again, throw another spade. 

There is nothing in whist that requires better judgment 
than discarding, especially in the endings. Near the end 
of the hand there is much to direct you to the proper 
discard, but you must very frequently summon to your 
aid the inferences you have drawn from the entire play 
of the hand. You can often tell what a player cannot 
have by knowing what he must have. Suppose A opens 
a hand with the k of spades, then leads qu of clubs, 
then ace; then 2 of hearts — trumps. The play shows 
that A can have no diamond. The student may ask, 
why ? Analyze the play: A leads k s, and stops the suit, 
he has ace, kn and one small; qu then ace c, this .marks 
king and two small; then 2 of hearts — this shows three 
more trumps, four spades, five clubs, four hearts, and 
there is no room for diamonds in this hand. 

Many a game is thrown away by careless discarding. 
To be sure, at times, you are put to a pure guess, but, in 
the great majority of cases, either positive inference can 
be drawn, or negatively you can mark the suit, and the 
card the leader must have. C, for instance, knowing that 
A can have no diamonds — as in the above cited example — 
must not on this alone throw away the best diamond, for 
A may lose the lead at the eleventh or twelfth trick, and 
in this event B and D must have d. You must carefully 
consider where the lead is likely to come from. An 
illustration will make this clear:— 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



37i 



* 4> 






o 




5^p 











B 



D 



ill 






* 


* 

* 




^^^^ 






Suppose that A, early in the play, showed no diamonds, 
and that trumps (clubs) are out, and — 

Trick Eleven.— A leads ace s; C plays 7 s; B plays 9 
s; D plays 5 s. 

Trick Twelve. — A leads kn s; now, if C throws the 
ace d, simply because he knows that A can have no d, he 
loses a trick. It may be a very difficult matter for C to 
determine where the lead is going to, or whether it is 
better to keep the h or d. The point is that A will lose 
the lead, and it is a question who has the qu s. If C can 
read the qu s with D, then he must endeavor to reason 
out from the previous fall if D is more likely to have a d 
than a h. The play may have been such that C cannot 
read D's hand, but nearly always so late as this, the cards 
can be located. Situations similar to this are of frequent 
occurrence, and they are always worthy of very careful 
analysis. It is in such situations as these that the in- 



372 MODERN SCIENTIFIC. WHIST. 

ferences you have drawn come to your aid and saves you 
the one trick that is to be played for — the one trick that 
the player who is unable to read the cards will nearly al- 
ways lose. 

When you discard the best card of a suit in play, you 
can have no more, all trumps, or absolute control of the 
suit. For example, you hold a sequence of 10 to ace in 
a suit; you may discard the ace and show partner that 
you have command. If you discard the second-best 
card of a suit you show no more, except in a situation 
in which you were throwing high cards to avoid taking 
the lead. 

Care should be taken in reference to discarding a high 
card of a suit not yet in play, even though you know the 
card must lose. It exposes your weakness in the suit 
and it may subject you to adverse finessing on the part 
of your right-hand opponent who will, if the suit comes 
up to him, finesse deeply, and in this way may catch a 
card of the suit in your partner's hand that would other- 
wise have made had you not exposed your weakness in 
the suit. It is always dangerous to discard a singleton 
when you are void of trumps, for when this suit is led 
your poverty is exposed upon the first round, and if the 
suit is led through your partner, your right-hand oppo- 
nent has simply to cover your partner's card, and in this 
way a trick or more may be lost. It is always injudicious 
play to expose your utter weakness in a suit, and it is 
likewise often weak play to publish that you have abso- 
lute control of a suit. For example — discarding the ace 
from a suit not yet in play. When the game is well ad- 
vanced your judgment of the situation will determine for 
you whether it is wise to publish information either as 
to your strength or weakness. So soon as your partner 
has shown his inability to assist you in any way, it is then 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 373 

evident folly to post your two watchful adversaries, who 
are on the alert to take advantage of either your strength 
or weakness, for the enemy may profit by knowing where 
your strength lies by avoiding it — striking where you 
are weak. 

Getting rid of the command of your partner's suit by 
discard, and at the proper moment, requires great care 
and good judgment, and a failure in this regard is usually 
very expensive. Retaining kings and queens with miserly 
covetousness, and throwing treys and deuces is often 
anything but economy. He is a wise player who knows 
when he is powerful only for harm and gets rid of his 
superfluous strength, and equally bright is the player who 
turns to good account his very weakness. 

It not infrequently happens that in the end hand you 
have a very long suit which it is evident that you cannot 
make entire. It is absurd to retain this suit intact and 
run the risk of loss by discarding your weak suit or suits, 
for even a card like the 9 or 10 may, if retained, either 
win a trick or force a high card from the enemy, thus 
making good a card of lower rank for partner. (For an 
illustration of this, see "Critical Endings.") 



374 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

LEADING TO THE DISCARD. 

There are three modes of leading to the discard, all 
of which should be thoroughly understood. The dis- 
card affords a very practical means of communication. 
Through this medium the player conveys information, 
either positive or negative in character. First: 

Leading to Partner s Discard. 

Your partner's first discard — if made before any decla- 
ration of trumps, or if trumps are pronounced in your 
favor — is from his weakest suit. This is positive, and it 
negatively points to the suit or suits in which he has 
strength. If the preponderance of strength in trumps is 
with the adversaries, your first discard is from your 
strongest and best protected suit. This is also positive 
information, and your partner reads that the other suit 
or suits are weaker than the one from which you have 
discarded. It follows that if partner, in this way, shows 
you his best suit he invites you to lead that suit, and you 
should, in almost every instance, lead him the best card 
you have of the suit as a strengthening card. If, how- 
ever, you are obviously longer in the suit than he is, you 
may lead your fourth-best, that your suit may not be 
blocked. This is about the only exception to leading 
your best card to partner's pronounced suit. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 375 

If partner has shown his weakest suit you will, of 
course, not lead from this suit, unless you are forced to 
do so. When partner has shown his weakest suit by dis- 
card, you may have to make a choice between two suits, 
but generally the play — especially the discards of the 
opponents, if any, — will direct you to the suit that he is 
more likely to have strength in. When you lead a suit 
that you judge through negative inference, is your part- 
ner's strongest suit, lead the highest of any three cards; 
if you have more than three, usually open the suit con- 
ventionally. When partner has absolute command of a 
suit, he will discard the master card of the suit, and you 
can lead the suit with the assurance that he can take 
care of it unassisted. If partner discards the king or any 
card the second-best in play, he has no more of the suit, 
and this information may be of great advantage to your 
game. If your adversaries' have been put to the discard, 
and your partner has not, their discards point to their 
suits, and the suit marked as their weakest is obviously 
your partner's best, and in this way you are frequently 
directed to his suit. Again your partner's suit may be 
proclaimed in a negative way by your opponents open- 
ing their suits — if C opens clubs, D spades; you holding 
hearts; partner (B) must have diamonds, if anything. 
Second: 

Leading to Adversaries' .Discard. 

The second mode of leading to the discard, is to lead 
the suit in which your right-hand opponent has shown 
weakness — that is, you lead up to announced weakness. 
You must do this, sometimes, as the best thing avail- 
able, and you should, do this in preference to a hap- 
hazard lead, especially if you care to have the lead with 
your left-hand adversary, 



376 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Third: You will often find that your best resource is 
to lead through the strong hand (declared by discard), 
of your left-hand opponent. His suit may be but mod- 
erately strong, and if you can lead from a sequence of 
two or three cards like kn, 10, or 10, 9, 8, it may force 
him to give up command, if he attempts to take the 
trick. In the event of having nothing better at com- 
mand you will lead either throiigh proclaimed strength, 
or up to published weakness. Of course, if you, as A, 
can lead a suit C has shown as his best, and D has 
marked as his weakest suit, your advantage is twofold. 
You are leading through strength up to sure weakness, 
and if C does not attempt to take, your partner B can 
finesse against the proclaimed weakness of D. 

It will be seen that it is very important to note the 
discards of your adversaries as well as of your partner, 
and also the manner of discarding. For instance: C is 
leading trumps and D discards a spade, do not at once 
dismiss this, and jump at the conclusion that D's weakest 
suit is spades — it may be his best, — for D may echo great 
strength in this suit by the order of his discards. (See 
" The Suit Echo.") Every card discarded, no difference 
by whom, should be carefully noted and the inference 
drawn. Suppose your opponents have discarded two 
hearts, you hold five, partner shows four — the suit can 
go but once at best. This is simplicity itself, but if you 
do not note and mentally record the discards, you can- 
not know even the most simple, yet at the same time 
very important things, and consequently you will make 
the most egregious blunders. You cannot escape mak- 
ing very stupid plays, unless you equip yourself with all 
the inferences elicited by the play. 

If you lead the 3, C puts on the 4; your partner kn; 
and D takes with k, you must make a note of the fact 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 377 

that D does not hold the qu, and this inference must not 
be dismissed until the qu is played. No card can fall 
that does not publish some information; it may be of 
little importance, or again of the greatest value. The best 
players fail to catch all the cards have to say, the best 
are those who miss the fewest words. You must be 
extraordinarily attentive to the cards to play the best 
whist, no matter how clever you may be. 



378 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



FORCING. 



When to force and when not to force your partner is 
a vexed question with the authorities. At best the forc- 
ing game is a poor one. It is a cheap way of making 
tricks. There are comparatively few hands where the 
best play — the play which will make the most tricks — 
renders it necessary to deliberately force your partner. 
Playing for a ruff or cross-ruff is cheap whist, and very 
often results in loss, even when the ruff is established. 
There is nearly always a better line of play possible. 
When in the judgment of a fine player a force is the only 
way to make all the tricks possible — the force will be 
offered, and if partner has reasons for thinking other- 
wise, he will not take it, and will show by discard his 
object in not taking it. The best players always con- 
sider the best way the handsome way of gaining the 
same number of tricks. If there are two ways of making 
the same number of tricks, the fine player will select the 
more brilliant way. 

You cannot lay down unvarying rules applicable to 
the finer points of whist. There are thousands of fine 
points — the delicate touches — that the books may never 
reach; the really splendid things you must learn from 
practice with fine players. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 379 

Forcing Partner. 

Some general rules, with comments, which apply to 
forcing partner, follow : — 

1. Do not force your partner when you are weak in 
trumps. 

This is a good general rule and should rarely be vio- 
lated. It applies, of course, to the early part of the 
hand, before there has been any declaration of strength 
or weakness. The object in not forcing your partner 
when you are weak in trumps is obvious; you weaken 
him, and strengthen the opponents. For instance, if you 
force your partner, you holding but two trumps, and 
your partner takes the force holding four, this at once 
leaves one of the adversaries with the long trump. No 
play is more likely to ruin your partner's hand than to 
force him when you are weak in trumps. For the sake 
of the instant trick, made by the force, you may render 
comparatively worthless a good hand, and at once place 
yourself and your partner at the mercy of the adversaries. 
You capture the one cheap trick at too great a risk. It 
may be said, " Give partner the opportunity to make a 
little trump, he may be weak; if so, he gladly takes the 
force; if he is but moderately strong let him refuse, if 
he deems it best." But the objection to this is that it 
conflicts with the generally recognized convention of the 
game — viz., that you do not force your partner when you 
are weak yourself in trumps. The order for play is in- 
formatory; for if you do intentionally force your partner, 
he reads at once that you have sufficient strength to take 
care of the adversaries in the trump suit, and he will- 
ingly takes the force, and, as a rule, is justified in at once 
leading you his best trump, as in answer to the call, for 



380 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

by your forcing him you have virtually made a trump re- 
quest. If, on the other hand, you refrain from forcing 
him, when the opportunity to do so is evident, you 
negatively inform him of your weakness in trumps. The 
information in either case is valuable. The negative in- 
formation imparted by conventional play is often as 
absolute as the positive. But here, if you do not gener- 
ally respect the conventional order — offering partner the 
force whether strong or weak in trumps, you perplex 
him, and he may take when it will ruin his game, and 
pass when it will ruin yours. 

2. You may force partner when you are strong in 
trumps. 

You must use discretion in the application of this rule. 
It may be well for you to force partner having great or 
fair strength in trumps, and again it may not be the 
best play. The rule holds good in most cases, but there 
may come a hand in which there is a better way. It is 
often better play to give partner a strengthening card in 
the suit that he has shown to be his. If you force him, 
there is some risk attending upon it. He may have no 
trump, or be overtrumped ; besides you must bear in 
mind that if partner does succeed in getting in his trump, 
that he must then lead something, and you should care- 
fully consider what this lead is most likely to be, and its 
effect upon the play of the combined hands. The point 
is that you must not jump at the opportunity to force 
partner simply because the chance is offered, even if you 
do have strength in trumps ; first consider all the dif- 
ferent phases of the situation, before you do so. The 
strength in trumps to justify you in forcing partner early 
in the play of the hand, should usually be such that you 
feel reasonably sure of being able to resist any attempt 
the opponents may make to exhaust them. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 381 

3. You may force partner, though weak in trumps, 
when he has shown a desire to be forced. 

Partner may inform you in a number of ways that he 
does not object to being forced. For example: (i) He 
trumps a doubtful card; (2) he has the opportunity of 
forcing you and does not; (3) he returns to you the last 
card he has of your suit in preference to opening his 
own suit; (4) returns the opponents' lead when it is 
evidently not for the purpose of leading through the 
strong up to the weak hand; (5) refuses to lead trumps, 
although he has a great suit of his own, or knows that 
you have an established suit; — all these indicate that he 
does not object to being forced, and some of them are 
equivalent to asking you to force him, if you think best. 
If partner trumps a winning card of the opponents, you 
must not take it for granted that he is weak in trumps 
and therefore force him. If you have nothing better, 
you may offer him the chance, but the fact that he 
trumped a sure winning card does not necessarily imply 
that he desires to be forced. 

4. When a see-saw is evident. 

Usually when the opportunity for a double ruff pre- 
sents itself it should be taken advantage of, but, even in 
this case, care should be taken. You should consider 
how long the ruff is likely to live. If the ruff is brought 
about by you having one great suit, partner another, you 
should weigh well the chances of your ability to draw 
the trumps, for you may sacrifice the opportunity for a 
splendid game by thoughtlessly snapping at a few tricks, 
when by a higher order of play you may do much better. 
Few players have the strength to resist the temptation 
to indulge in a see-saw, as the alternate trumping of 
partners has the appearance of making tricks as ecomi- 
cally as possible; and this, in fact, is true, when each of 



382 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

the partners is weak in trumps — say each three only, but 
if one of the partners has four fair trumps, and a great 
suit besides, the see-saw may cost several tricks. 

5. When great strength in trumps is declared against 
you. 

The mere fact that one of the adversaries has called, 
is not alone a sufficient ground for you to force partner, 
particularly if you are very weak in trumps. The fact of 
your being very weak would indicate that your partner 
is just so much the more likely to be fairly strong. 
Usually, however, it is best to offer partner the oppor- 
tunity, and he will exercise his own judgment about tak- 
ing the force. He will feel at liberty to refuse, knowing 
that you have forced him, owing to the fact that the 
adversary has asked for trumps. If he does not take 
the force, his discard will most likely afford you valuable 
information, and it will, at least, apprise you of the fact 
that he is strong enough in trumps to justify him in hoping 
to be able to resist the adversaries in their effort to ex- 
haust them, and you must then play, if possible, to pre- 
vent his being forced, and in every way protect and 
strengthen him. If one of the opponents calls, and the 
other echoes strength, it is then evident that your partner 
can make no defense in the suit, and you may, usually, 
unhesitatingly force him. So also if the opponents in 
leading trumps show such strength that you know your 
partner's trumps must fall, you will, of course, play for a 
ruff. 

6. You may force your partner when you need but a 
single trick to make or save the game. 

It may happen that the opportunity to force partner 
presents itself when you need but a single trick to make 
or save a game, and if there is a possibility of your not 
being able to make the trick in any other way, you will, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 383 

of course, offer him the chance of making it by the 
force. 

7. Force partner when, in your judgment, the situation 
is a justification for doing so. 

This rule embraces the other six, and carries us back 
to the starting-point. It emphasizes the fact that when 
to force and when not to force the partner must, in a 
great measure, be left to the judgment of the player. So 
much depends upon the character of your hand, the 
situation, the score, the stage of the play and the infer- 
ences drawn from the fall of the cards, that no set rules 
will meet the exigencies of the case. 

The foregoing instructions, in reference to forcing 
partner, apply with greater force to the early stages of 
the hand. When the hand is developed, the player of 
good whist perception will not miss the opportunity to 
force partner, if it is the best play the situation affords. 
In exceptional situations you may find it expedient to 
force partner, even when you do not have a trump, and 
again you may abstain from forcing him, although you 
have five or six. The general rules given are as good as 
may be devised, and the student, especially, should 
adhere to them, as he will nearly always be right. The 
advanced player will follow them in the absence of any 
information afforded by the play to warrant him in 
departing from them; but he knows when to depart from 
the rules, as he also knows that all rules and maxims 
stand second to the fall of the cards. No rule should 
be allowed to get the better of your judgment. For 
example: "Do not force partner if you are weak in 
trumps," is a good general rule, and particularly forcible 
in the first few rounds of the hand, but do not let even 
this rule run away with your judgment, for sometimes it 
is very good play to lead the suit partner is out of — 



384 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

giving him the option of taking the force, especially if 
you think that you must lose the trick in this suit in any 
event, for then, if partner refuses to take the force, no 
harm is done. 

Forced by the Adversary. 

When you are forced by the opponent, or uninten- 
tionally forced by partner, your proper play is a matter 
of great concern, and good judgment must be exercised. 
When you are forced, intentionally or otherwise, by your 
opponent, second hand, your position is one worthy of 
due deliberation. 

It is often right to refuse to take the force or over- 
trump the adversary, when it occurs early in the hand, 
and you have just four trumps and a fair hand besides. 
When you do refuse, partner will read your hand as 
above, and will lead you a trump at the first opportunity, 
as you can make no more positive request for trumps 
than this. If you trump in a situation like the one just 
cited, you very materially prejudice your chances of a 
great game for the single trick. You must be careful, 
however, not to carry this refusal to excess. You must 
not, as a rule, refuse to be forced by a sure winning 
card, except in situations similar to the one referred to, 
and not then, if the winning card is sure to be followed 
by others of the same suit to which partner must evi- 
dently follow. With more than four trumps you will do 
best, as a rule, to take the force and lead trumps. With 
less than four, generally trump. 

Forced by Partner. 

When forced by partner you should not refuse unless 
you have most excellent reasons. A good partner will 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 385 

not purposely force you early in the hand — as a rule — 
unless he is strong enough in trumps to desire them led, 
and if you cannot see your way very clearly, take the 
force and play his game, for the chances are that partner 
desires that you should make a little trump before he 
proceeds to disarm the adversaries. 

Forcing the Adversary. 

If it is a disadvantage to force your partner when you 
are weak in trumps, or to be forced by the opponent 
when you are but moderately strong in them, it follows 
that it is evidently an advantage to you to force the 
adversaries when they are strong. If it is good play to 
force the partner when he is weak in trumps, it is very 
poor play to force an opponent when he is not strong. 
You would, by such play, be playing into his hand. You 
must particularly avoid leading a card that will give the 
opponent, who is strong, a discard, and the one who is 
weak the opportunity to trump; nothing could be worse 
than this, and it should be done only in rare cases, where 
you must throw the lead at all hazards. If you are 
forcing the adversary, who is strong, and he refuses to 
take the force, force him again. There is a neat point 
often missed here, and with it a trick or two; suppose 
you open the hand with queen, holding ace, k, qu and 
two others, second hand follows, but to your second lead 
of the ace he renounces — refusing to force — discarding 
a tolerably high card of another suit, you may be sure 
that he has but one or, at the most, two more cards of 
the suit he has discarded from. Now, if you hold ace, 
or ace, king of this suit — lead them before you go on with 
a third round of your other suit; for if you do not, your 
opponent will most likely clear his hand of the suit, and 



386 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

your high cards may not make. This you would do 
more particularly if your hand was so weak in trumps 
that you could not offer much defense, or if the game 
was critical, and the one trick might save it. 

When you are weak in trumps it is fair to assume that 
your opponents have some strength in them; and in such 
cases do not hesitate to force the opponent, who early in 
the play of the hand shows that he is void of your suit. 
It will nearly always turn out that you force the strong 
hand. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 387 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

LEADING THE ADVERSARIES* SUIT. 

Sometimes you will find it good play to lead the 
adversaries' strong suit, the suit they have established, 
even when you know that partner must follow in it. 
This may be done for the purpose of throwing the lead 
or drawing the last card of the suit from one of the 
opponents. If you can draw the last card D has of C's 
great suit, and then put D in the lead after trumps are 
out, you may compel him to lead your suit, or your 
partner's, and if C has no re-entry card he will not make 
his great suit. If the position is well-judged you cannot 
lose by the play, for the losing cards you hold of the 
adversaries' suit must lose in any event, and you make 
them lose in a way that will result in your ultimate gain. 
Suppose C leads a spade, showing great strength and length 
in the suit, and then leads trumps to protect the suit, 
A wins the first round of trumps. Now, if A holds a 
losing spade, and the fall indicates that D has most 
likely but one more spade, A may lead it. If C is forced 
to take it, and draw D's last spade, the play may be very 
advantageous to A. If D is finally left with the lead, he 
has no spade to lead to C, and if C has no card of 
re-entry he will not make his great suit. A's play in such 
a situation might save several tricks. This play in the 
above case would be particularly effective if A held a 
tenace in trumps, for, by the play, A throws the lead with 
C; if C abandons trumps and goes on with spades A 



388 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

trumps. If C opens a fresh suit then A is last player, 
and in any event A has lessened C's chances of making 
his great suit. The opportunity for making this good 
play may rarely occur, but you should be on the alert 
for such neat points. You must recollect that ordinary 
routine play will nearly always take all the tricks but one 
that can by any play be taken. The finest players by 
the finest play only occasionally gain an extra trick — the 
rest are made by any play. You must.also remember 
that in nearly every hand it early develops that you have 
cards that must lose, no matter how you play or plan, 
and the clever thing to do is to make them lose some- 
what to your advantage — lose as you would have them 
lose, not as the opponents wish them to. You can often 
foil the cleverest adversary, by the use you make of 
your losing cards — by making them lose at the proper 
moment and in the right way. There is this value to 
losing cards that the moderate player knows not of. A 
game may be saved simply because you have a losing 
card to use at the critical moment — thus, by strategic 
manoeuvring, clothing weakness with strength. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



389 



CHAPTER XIX. 

LEADING THROUGH THE STRONG HAND. 

It sometimes happens that you have no suit that you 
can open to advantage, but you are in a position to re- 
turn through the leader his suit, up to the right-hand ad- 
versary who is weak in the suit. It is often good play to 
avail yourself of this, even though you have a good hand. 
Suppose this case: — 



* * •:- 



* * * 

* * * 




4* 

A A 

4* * 


4. 4. 
4. 4. 



B 



I) 



4. , 4. 
4* v * 

*** 


A A 
*A V 

A A 

A V 4, 


4. 4. 

A 

A A 


* 
* 



* * * * 



1. — C leads 3 (trumps); B plays 4; D plays 9; A 
plays 10. 

A knows that C has but four trumps, and that D has 
put up his best card. If A returns the 8 through C, he 



39° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



places him at a disadvantage, for, if he passes, B also 
passes, if he covers, B covers in turn and does not return 
the suit, and when A gets in again, he again leads 
through him, and there is not a trick in the suit for C. 
Again: — 



* 




*** 
* * 




++* 
* * 




C is the original leader of the hand, and — 
i. — C leads 5 (plain suit); B plays 8; D plays kn; A 
plays qu. 

Now, suppose you, playing A's hand, hold four small 
trumps; ace, qu, and one small, king and two small, in 
the other suits. If you open a fresh suit, you do so to 
your probable disadvantage. Knowing that D has most 
likely put up his best card, and that C does not hold 
both ace and king, or he would have led one or the other, 
you return your 10 through C, and he must give up con- 
trol of the suit if he attempts to take it. If C passes your 
10, so will partner. No harm is done if it turns out that 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 391 

C has ace, partner king; for if C puts up ace, he loses 
control of the suit, and, what is better still, he must then 
open up a suit to your manifest advantage. Care must 
be taken that your right-hand adversary has more of the 
suit. If it is highly probable that he has not, you must 
not take this chance, but with such a hand as described 
above, lead trumps. 

In returning through the strong hand you must be on 
the alert for this adverse play — viz., the strong hand may 
hold the master card — the balance of power in the suit 
with you and partner, and if the original leader suspects 
that his partner has but otie more of the suit, he plays his 
master card, and at once returns the suit for his partner 
to ruff, and your suit is cut to pieces, and your good cards 
in the suit sacrificed to the weak trump hand of the op- 
ponent. You can generally counter on this by first ex- 
acting a round or two of trumps, and then lead through 
the original leader. You can nearly always detect this 
phase of the situation, by the card led and the follow, in 
conjunction with the cards you hold in the suit. You 
must not confuse the play of leading through the strong 
hand, with the return of the adversaries' suit for the ob- 
ject of ruffing. Good players rarely return the opponent's 
suit with this object in view; if they do the motive is ap- 
parent from the fall of the cards. It is very often bright 
play, and the best the situation affords, to lead through 
the calling hand, for, if the calling hand does not attempt 
to take the trick, partner will read the play, and finesse 
deeply, and if it wins, he will not return the suit. In rare 
cases you are forced from sheer weakness to return the 
adversaries' suit solely for the purpose of placing the 
lead with your right-hand opponent, that your partner 
may become last player to the next trick — but this is a 
last resort. 



39 2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THROWING THE LEAD. 



There is nothing prettier, brighter or more effective 
than throwing the lead. This strategy may be resorted 
to at any stage of the hand, but the occasion for it is 
more frequent in the ending. When you hold a hand 
exceptionally weak you may often benefit your partner 
by putting your right-hand opponent into the lead. In this 
way you compel your adversary to lead through the 
weak hand — your hand — up to the hand of your partner, 
who by this acquires the advantage of position, and 
through this manoeuvre may make a tenace which other- 
wise he would have lost had you opened one of your 
weak suits. In such cases you will, therefore, in the 
absence of anything better, select a card that will put 
your right-hand opponent in the lead. As an illustration 
of this, suppose the following: — 







s20U 


V 

4» 4. 
4. 4. 


* 
4. 

. + _ 








C 


B 

D 

A 


III 1 










* 




'!« 4*1 




4. 4.1 


Si^lllP 






L — 


1 






* 


4. 4. 

* * 
4. 4. 


4. 4. 
4, 4, 







MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 393 

D opens the hand with a plain suit lead: — 

1. — D leads 2; A plays 4; C plays k; B plays 3. 

2. — C leads 9; B plays 7; D plays 5; A plays ace. 

D's finesse was obligatory. 

Suppose that A has four very small trumps, and three 
each of the other two suits, also very weak; his position 
is criticaL If he opens trumps he implies strength; if 
either of the three-card suits he may deceive partner and 
weaken him and strengthen the adversaries. D has shown 
weakness by announcing a suit headed by queen as his 
best suit; yet he may hold in the plain suit — A would 
select at random — the major tenace, in which B may hold 
king, knave, and in this event A would be playing the 
opponent's game. A's best play under the circumstances 
is to throw the lead into D's hand, by leading the 6 of the 
suit D has opened, and in this way place the responsi- 
bility of the lead with D. The play will not deceive B, 
for in this instance he will read the situation and know 
that A has not returned D's suit for the purpose of forc- 
ing him, for he (B) is marked with either qu, kn or 10, 
as D cannot have all three. 

You may sometimes find it to your advantage to throw 
the lead at the very start, owing to the peculiar char- 
acter of your hand or the trump turned. Say you pick 
up ace, queen and two small trumps; king and two 
small; 10 and two small, and king, knave, ten in the 
other suit — king turned to your right. Now, you lead 
trumps to disadvantage; and you have no suit to make 
— lead the 10 from the k, kn, 10, and throw the lead; if 
partner takes the trick and has a good suit, he will show 
it, and then will lead a strengthening trump through the 
king turned. If the opponents win the trick, they must 
open up to either your hand or that of partner's, and 
you may ask for trumps or not as you prefer. 



394 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

The lead is of great advantage when you can control 
the play, but again it may be a great disadvantage. When 
to have the lead is likely to be to your detriment, you can 
frequently throw it to good results, and this strategic 
point should not be overlooked. The trick you give the 
opponents to throw the lead is one that you must in all 
likelihood lose in any event, and you, in this way, lose it 
in the most advantageous manner. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 395 



CHAPTER XXI 



CHANGING SUITS 



The rule reads "Avoid changing suits." This may 
mislead the student, for sometimes the more suits you 
open advantageously the more information you impart. 
If partner opens the hand with a small card and you win 
the trick, you should not, as a rule, return the suit, but 
rather open your own strong suit, and in this way show 
partner your hand. In fact, if you return your partner's 
suit, he will read your hand as weak. If you open the 
hand originally, the first trick going to the opponents, 
and afterwards you get in, and you have in the meantime 
no information as to your partner's hand, you should, as 
a rule, go on with your suit with the view of establishing 
it. You may pick up a hand the peculiar character of 
which will justify you in opening two or three suits in 
succession. Suppose a hand like the following, which 
is exceptional, but it will serve as an illustration : s ace, 
k, 5, 3; h kn; c ace, k, kn, 5; d ace, k, qu, 5. Hearts 
trumps. You may open with the k c; then k d; then 
the knave of hearts. You have changed suit with a 
vengeance, but partner can read your hand and play for 
it, just as well as though it was faced upon the table. 

When you win the first round of your partner's suit 
with a small card, you must not as a rule return it, for 
the balance of strength must be with your right-hand 
opponent, and your return is equivalent to leading 



396 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

through the weak hand up to the strong, which is the 
reverse of good play; besides, your left-hand adversary- 
may be short in the suit and very willing to trump. You 
should not return your partner's suit, especially if the 
first suit of the hand opened, if you have a good suit of 
your own, for partner may have fair strength in trumps, 
and if you show strength in your suit, he may, if he gets 
in, lead trumps from the fact that you together have two 
suits well in hand. 

You may sometimes be forced to open a suit moder- 
ately strong, rather than return your partner's lead, 
owing to the fall of the cards indicating that both of the 
opponents are short of the suit. For the same reason as 
just given, you may be forced to discontinue your own 
suit after one round. A suit will seldom live three 
rounds, and it is often best to change after the second 
round, even if to a weak suit — leading the highest of 
three if necessary — for partner may have a fair hand and 
if he gains possession of the lead — lead a trump, and 
make your great suit; if you go on, and your suit is 
trumped, your game may be ruined. You must never 
lose sight of the fact that you are playing or helping to 
play twenty-six cards, and remember that the poorest 
players are the ones who endeavor to take all the tricks 
themselves. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



397 



CHAPTER XXII. 



THE RETURN. 

The proper return of partner's suit is a very important 
thing. When you hold the master card of the suit it 
should generally be played, if you return the suit, irre- 
spective of the number you hold of the suit at the time. 
Holding two cards of the suit at the time you return the 
suit, lead the higher of the two. Holding three or more, 
return the lowest. There is an exception to this rule, 
and a very important one — when you retain the lowest 
card the first round (having exactly four) you then re- 
turn the highest, even though you hold three cards of the 
suit at the time. (See " Unblocking.") Holding second 
aud third best, return the second-best. A few examples 
on the return will make these rules clear, and the reasons 
for them evident. 

Return the Higher of Two Cards. 



,\. ^ ^ ^ 
■?• «fr 4» «f» 



.£« •$« <$>\ 



c 


B 

A 


D 




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1 


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* ■* •> 








i, if 



v 



39 3 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



i. — A leads 7; C plays 2; B plays ace; D plays 8. 
2. — B leads 5; D plays kn; A plays k; C plays 6. 
Here B returns the higher of two cards and is now 
marked with the 4 and no more. Again: — 



Return the Lowest of Three Cards, 



F7^ 



»t. „\- .j. 





.♦. t A 


A 


■5* 


♦ 1 


* 


A ' A 

*A* 

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B 



A 



A A 
A A 
A*A 

A A 



D 



It 






1* 

[+ 


* * 



*A* 

A A 

A 
* + 


* 

A 



i. — A leads 3; C plays 5; B plays ace; D plays 7. 
2. — B leads 2; D plays qu; A plays k; C plays 6. 
B having three cards, and not the master card, returns 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



399 



the lowest card, and, the 4 not falling, A knows that B has 
the 4 and at least one more. Or this: 



Return of the Master Card. 



* 



* * * 

+ 

4. .j- .j. 



* * * 

4. 4. 
4. 4. 4. 



B 






I) 



4. 4. 
4. * 
* * 


4. 4. 

* +1 




1. — A leads 4; C plays 5; B plays k; D plays 10. 

2. — B leads ace; D plays qu; A plays 6; C plays 7. 

Here B holds three cards, four originally, but the ace 
being a master card he returns it. B does this irrespec- 
tive of number. The card, of course, need not be the 



400 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



ace, but any master card — that is the best card of the 
suit in play. Again: — 



Returning the Highest of Three Cards. 



4» 4> 

+** 




4> 4> 

* 
4, 4, 




4. 4. 

4, 4, 




4c 
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c 


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fill 






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4. 4. 
4. 4. 
4, 4. 



rt* ■!• •> 
4. .§» ►!• 



A leads qu; C plays 7; B plays 4; D plays ace. 

2 (B to lead). — B leads 9; D plays 8; A plays k; C 
plays kn. 

Here B held exactly four cards of the suit, hence 
played his third-best card to the first trick (see " Un- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



4OI 



blocking "). B now returns his highest card although he 
holds three cards at the time. 



Return of the Second-Best. 





*** 

*** 


* 





B 




C 


A 


D 



4* 4*1 |4» . 4*1 [4" 4*1 [* 4*1 [4« 4» 

4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 



1. — A leads 5; C plays 3; B plays 10; D plays ace. 

2 (B to lead).— B leads qu; D renounces; A plays 4; 
C plays k. 

Here B, holding second and third best, returns the 
second-best. If he returns the deuce — the lowest of 
three — he loses a trick, as C wins the trick with the 9. 
If trumps come out and A leads the suit, B plays kn and 
returns the 2. If B leads the suit he leads the kn, and 
A's five-card suit is cleared. 



402 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Following Up a Finesse. 

It is often best to return the master card of your 
partner's suit at once; but when you win the first round 
by a finesse, it is best as a rule to wait for partner to 
again lead the suit, that the advantage of your finesse 
may be followed up. If B makes a successful finesse it 
is incumbent upon A to make the most of it. As: — 




+.1 + 



B 



+ * 
*** 



4» *r 



I) 






i. — A leads 2; C plays 6; B plays 10; D plays 4. 

Here B would throw away all the advantage of the 
finesse gained by returning the suit. A must follow up 
this advantage, gained by B, by again leading the suit 
through C, and the k is hemmed in; if B returns the suit 
the k is freed. It is evident here to A that they can 
take every trick in the suit, and if he has any strength at 
all in the other suits and even fair trumps, he should 
lead trumps for the protection of this suit, when he gets 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



403 



in the lead again. Even one more round in this suit 
would be dangerous, for D must be short of the suit. If 
A should lead trumps here B would be justified in deep 
finesse, for he would read A's play as an effort at pro- 
tecting this suit, and he would not put up his best card. 
It makes all the difference in the world to B whether A 
has played trumps from strength, or whether he has led 
to protect a great suit proclaimed in their combined 
hands. The return of the trump suit is fully explained 
in the chapter on " The Echo." 

When it is evident to B that he is longer in the suit 
than A, he should not return the master card, if he 
knows the second-best card is with A. If he does, A may 
block B in the suit, to the loss of a trick or more. This 
is a point careless players miss. A should not finesse on 
such a return, but play his best and return the next best 
— getting out of B's way. Suppose the following: — 

Refusal to Return the Master Card. 

4« "5* 



v 
4. 4. 

4. 41 



4. 4, 



B 



D 



I* * * 









4. 4- 

*** 

4. 4. 



4. 4» 
V 

4. 4. 

4* 

4. 4, 



404 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

i. — A leads 8; C plays ace; B plays 2; D plays 5. 

Now suppose that trumps come out and B gets in, he 
should lead the 3 and not the k. If B parts with the k 
his suit is irrevocably blocked. 



Departing from Rule. 

Late in the hand you may sometimes find it best to 
depart from rule, and return the lowest of two cards, in 
order that you may not tempt partner to finesse. You 
desire his best played, that he may gain the lead, to lead 
you a winning card you know he holds, that you may 
profit by a discard. This is on the same principle that 
late in hand you will sometimes lead the low card from 
qu or kn and one small, not wishing partner to finesse. 
For example: Partner has the best s; you the best h, and 
the last c — trump; you also have qu and one small d — 
the ace and k yet in play. You lead the small d and not 
the qu in the hope that partner may win the trick — play- 
ing his ace d, then his winning s — giving you the needed 
discard of a diamond. If you lead the qu partner might 
finesse holding the ace, and a trick be lost. 

The rules governing the return of partner's suit, like 
all other whist rules and maxims, do not take into con- 
sideration the exceptional situations. Positions arise in 
which you must depart from the conventional order for 
play. Here is an instance: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



405 



* * * 
•h •h 4 1 




* 




*** 

4. ! 4, 

4-** 




4. 4. 

*** 
4> 4> 




4. 4. 
4. 4> 
4. 4, 



B 

C D 

A 








1 

1* * * 




4. * 

1 





4, 4. 
4. 4, 




4. 4, 
* 

4. 4> 



This is the trump suit. 

1. — A leads kn; C plays qu; B plays ace; D plays 2. 

2. — B leads 9; D plays 3; A plays 5; C plays k. 

B would lose a trick if he returned the lowest of three. 
He cannot afford to risk C having the k, 8. The fall 
shows that C has most likely the king, and that A has 
led the highest of three — possibly only two. The 9 forces 
the k and the 8 will not make. The return is irregular 
owing to the fall. B returns the middle card, for if he 
returns the 10 he will leave partner in the dark as to the 
location of the six, as — 

2. — B leads 10; D plays 3; A plays 5; C plays k. 

3 (B to lead). — B leads 9; D plays 4; A plays 7; C 
plays 8. 

A must now give D the 6, as B has only shown three 
trumps by the play. If he returns the 9, and afterwards 
plays the 10, A reads the play and gives B the 6. 



406 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE TWELFTH. 



Many fair whist players are sadly remiss in handling 
Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth cards. The oppor- 
tunity to make the best use of these cards occurs in 
almost every hand. When and how to use them is a 
question worth the student's careful consideration. The 
one trick to be played for may be made or lost by the 
proper or improper play of one of these cards. The 
twelfth card may be either a master or a losing card of 
any two cards of a suit in play. When it is the winning 
twelfth, and the losing thirteenth is with your right-hand 
opponent, it is useful in giving your partner a discard or 
the opportunity to overtrump ; if a losing twelfth, in 
placing the lead. You should be careful how you handle 
your winning twelfth card, so long as trumps are yet in. 
Suppose A has a twelfth card, D the losing thirteenth ; 
C and B each with trumps, B probably the best ones; A, 
here, must be careful how he makes use of his twelfth 
card, if he has other winning cards in his hand. C may 
not trump A's twelfth, but instead throw a losing card — 
the only one he has — of the suit in which both A and B 
have master cards, and a trick or more be lost. A few 
illustrations will make the value of twelfth cards ap- 
parent. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



407 



The Winning Twelfth. 



*** 








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9? <v> 


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B 



D 



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9 9? 
<5> 9? 





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-j. -J. -J. -j. 






■y <y\ 

1 



o 



Clubs trump; two rounds have been played; C and B 
each marked with two ; B the probable ten ace over C, 
who is marked with the best hearts. One round of 
spades, to which the ace, qu, kn, 6 fell. A has the 
twelfth d and D is marked with the losing thirteenth. A 
is in, and if he leads the twelfth card before he leads a 
round of spades, he loses two tricks — 

1. — A leads 8d; C plays 4 s; B plays 9 h; D plays 5 d. 

C very properly refuses to trump. If he trumps with 
the 6 he is overtrumped, has his last trump drawn and 
he will not take a trick. If he trumps with the 10, he 
makes the 9 good for D, but even this loses. The cor- 
rect play is to throw the losing spade. There is a good 
lesson here for both A and C ; A plays badly by the 
lead of the twelfth card at the wrong time, and C takes 
full advantage of it. 



408 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

2. — A leads k s; C plays 6 c; B plays 5 s; D plays 2 s. 

3. — C leads k h; B plays 7 c; D overtrumps; A plays 
5h. 

B trumps with the 7, hoping to find the heart with D; 
the result is the same, however, if he trumps with kn. 

4. — D leads 3 s; A plays 8 s; C trumps; B plays 10 s. 

The kn c makes, and A B score but two tricks out of 
the five. On the other hand, let A play as under — 

1. — A leads k s; C plays 4 s; B plays 10 s; D plays 2 s. 

B's play of the 10 s is a beautiful one for the chance 
of every trick, for if C injudiciously trumps, the twelfth 
d next led by A, with the 6, B would block A's spades, 
and must in this event lose the 9 h to C. 

2. — A leads 8 d; C plays 10 h; B plays 5 s; D plays 
5d. 

C discreetly throws the h, refusing to trump. B makes 
another fine play by discarding the 5 s. If he throws 
the losing heart he loses a trick. 

3. — A leads 8 s; C plays 10 c; B overtrumps; D plays 

3 s. 

C trumps at the proper moment and with the right 
card, for trumping with the 10 c forces B to make a 
pretty play or lose a trick. 

4. — B leads 7 c; D plays 9 c; A plays 5 h; D plays 
6 c. 

This illustrates the beauty of whist play where all the 
players are of equal skill and adroitness. If B attempts 
to make his little trump, he loses a trick; he is equal to 
C's fine second-hand play, however, and neatly meets it 
by the lead of the losing trump — throwing the lead with 
D that he may lead the losing s to A's 9 s. 

5. — D leads 7 s, and A makes the 9 s and A B score 
four of the five tricks. 

The fine play of A, C and B is worth careful study 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



409 



and analysis, as it illustrates three intricate points in 
whist strategy that require the most accurate treatment, 
viz., the lead of the twelfth, the discard, and the refusal 
to trump when you will be overtrumped. Here is a 
simple case showing the value of a losing twelfth card. 

The Losing Twelfth. 



* 


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« 


♦ 


* 


« 


<• 




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«-«- 


«H 


♦ 


*« 


+ + 



* * 






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4. * 



B 



A 



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o o 



o 



* * 



-J. -J. -J. 
* * * 

























Hearts, trump, are out; A is in the lead. If he leads 
either a spade or club, A B do not take a trick. But he 
can lead the losing twelfth and place the lead with D 
as — 

1. — A leads 5 d; C plays 2 s; B plays 4 s; D plays 8 d. 

2. — D must now lead a c to B's tenace and a trick is 
saved. 

If the hands of A, B, D, are exchanged, the follow- 
ing position shows the value of a losing twelfth card 



4io 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



in another phase — for partner to trump for the benefit 
of leader's tenace, which may be either a plain suit 
or a trump one. 





* * 


* * 


A A 

* 
A A 












B 

C D 

A 




* * * * 

A * 

>J« .J. -J. -{• 




A * 4. 

|a a * 




000 



000 














1 


*A* 

A A 
A A 


♦ 








Clubs trumps. C's hand is immaterial. 

1. — A leads 5 d; B trumps; D plays 8 d. B now leads 
through D's trump tenace and A B make all three tricks. 
Here A leads a twelfth for B to trump. If the twelfth 
is a master card in situations like this, B must also trump 
or lose a trick. The student will see by these illustra- 
tions that twelfth cards can be used to good purposes in 
various ways, and that if they are badly managed, a well- 
fought battle up to the point of using them, may end in 
defeat. It will also be noticed that the player must be 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 41I 

on the alert, when an opponent leads a twelfth card, to 
pick out the right path, as C did in our first example, or 
he may come to grief. 

Examples could be multiplied illustrating the play and 
value of twelfth cards, but a careful study of these will 
serve. Even greater care must be taken when the thir- 
teenth, either a master or a losing card, is with your left- 
hand opponent. 



412 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE THIRTEENTH. 



The last card of a suit in play is called a thirteenth, 
and good players make this card very effective at times, 
especially late in play. When left with the long trump 
and a thirteenth of a plain suit, your plain suit card is, 
of course, as valuable as your trump. This may be said 
of all the cards of an established suit — they are virtually 
so many thirteenth cards, and are of great value in con- 
nection with the balance of power in trumps. Thirteenth 
cards are rarely played early in the hand, they are re- 
served for use in the strategic manoeuvres of the after 
play, and whenever led by a good player, the intent and 
purpose of the play should be most carefully studied. As 
before stated a thirteenth card is rarely led early in play, 
yet in exceptional cases they may be so used. Suppose 
the following case: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



413 




4. 4. 4. 

4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 4. 





<> 

o 



(Queen h turned with B.) 

D opens the hand with a small spade; won by A with 
k, who then leads k d, the 2, 9 and 3 fall in the order 
named; A follows with qu d — the 4, 10 and 6 fall. A 
now reads that B is probably short of d and leads the ace, 
to which the 7, kn, 8 fall. A is now left with the thir- 
teenth d; he has four tricks home and must score 3 by 
card to make the game. A has no suit to make, and 
reasons that if he now leads the last d, B's qu which is 
turned will win the trick, and if he can make the 2 h, by 
trumping the s, or his partner takes a trick in clubs, the 
game is made. A, therefore, leads the thirteenth d; C, 
with three small trumps, qu, kn of spades and kn to ace 
in clubs, throws ace of clubs; B wins with qu — his only 
trump, and holding five clubs headed by the 10, and the 
10 and two other spades — returns a spade; A trumps 
with the deuce — and the erame is won. As the cards 



414 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



happened to lie, no other play, by A, would have given 
them 3 by cards and game. 

When a thirteenth card is led late in the play of a 
hand, the leader has one of these four objects in view: 
First — For the best trump partner holds. Second — To 
place the lead. Third — To force the adversary. Fourth 
— To put the adversary to the discard. For example: 



* * * 

•$• *t- •$- 








B 




c 


A 


D 



O 

0% 



x^~ 












¥:3 




;|: 




> 


►» 


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►» 


-» 


♦ 


♦ 



(Spades Trumps.) 

A knows that D has k and another spade; B the 9 or 
7 s. A leads the thirteenth diamond, and it demands of 
B his 9 s that it may force the play of the k from D, thus 
making A's kn s good. If B does not trump this thir- 
teener a trick is lost. 

A may lead a thirteenth to force the winning twelfth 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 415 

trump from C or D, that B's losing twelfth may make. 
The last card of a suit may be led by A to force the long 
trump from D, and at the same time place the lead, that 
D may lead up to a tenace in A or B's hand. Again: A 
may lead a thirteener — trumps exhausted — to put C to 
the discard, that his own hand or that of B may be 
benefited. For further illustrations of the use of thir- 
teenth cards, either in trumps or plain suits, see '' Critical 
Endings." 



416 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

SPECIAL TOPICS. 

Combination of Forces. 

Whist is pre-eminently a partnership game. The 
strength and beauty of modern whist is combination of 
forces. Each of the four players must plan for the play 
of twenty-six cards. Nothing can be worse than to play 
only for your own hand. Do not imagine that the cards 
you hold must win the tricks, in order to merit applause. 
A should not forget that the credit is his if he makes a 
card in B's hand that would be lost, except for his 
strategy. It matters not whose card takes the trick. Let 
it ever be first in your mind that you are playing the 
thirteen cards you hold in conjunction with an equal 
number in your partner's hand. A good whist player 
takes delight in planning for the play of his partner's 
hand, knowing that such play is a compliment to his skill. 
To be able to read your partner's hand, and play to make 
his cards, is whist of the highest order. 

It is as essential in whist as in any business partner- 
ship that implicit confidence exist. Do not deceive 
your partner. " It is more important to inform your 
partner than to deceive your adversary," is a golden 
maxim. The evil effect of a deceit practiced upon 
your partner cannot be overestimated. Your credit 
has received a severe shock; he had confidence in your 
integrity, and relied upon your doing the right thing 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 417 

always. Do not forget that when confidence is impaired, 
it is not easily restored. Guard your reputation for 
reliability and straightforwardness at the whist table with 
jealous care. The whist player who always plays a 
steady, careful, conservative game — strong hands and 
weak hands with equal interest — and, above all, never 
deceives you with erratic plays, planned mostly for his 
own hand, is the safe player. He is the Whist Player. 



Mannerisms 

You should studiously avoid all mannerisms in play, 
and never permit yourself to draw any inferences from 
the antics of either your partner or your opponents, if 
they should be guilty of making them. Cultivate a 
uniform style of play. Play each card with equal 
deliberation. Do not draw the card until ready to play 
it. Emphasize no play. If a play is accompanied with 
unusual earnestness, you insinuate that your partner may 
not read your intent. If you, by look or gesture, endeavor 
to draw special attention to your play, you have not only 
cast an imputation upon the whist perception of your 
partner, but you have made an effort to take an unfair 
advantage of your opponents — you have made a sign, 
not a signal. If to partner's lead, you, after unusual 
hesitation, play knave, and it loses to queen, and you 
exhibit surprise or disappointment — you are trespassing 
upon the proprieties; you say to partner, in the most 
unmistakable manner: " I finessed, I have the ace." 

When an unusual, or rather an unequal, distribution 
of a suit occurs, and the fact is brought out by the play, 
it does not merit any more notice than any other play, 
except that each of the four players should be parties 



4l3 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

larly alert to meet such exceptional disposition of the 
cards. 

You cannot favorably impress gentlemen with your 
game by thumping the table upon the delivery of cer- 
tain winning cards that you happen to hold. You add 
nothing to the score. The cards will win just as surely 
if thrown with quiet dignity. It is positively unfair to 
make any comments upon your hand before the play, 
and it is in wretched taste to complain about your weak 
hands at any time. If you are having weak hands, every 
one at the table knows it as well as you do, and it is not 
complimentary to your adversaries to be constantly in- 
timating that it is your weak hands, and not their play, 
that is giving them the score. 

Some players have the habit of giving partner a raking 
over at the end of every hand. This is something a 
well-balanced whist player never does. To discuss the 
play between deals for the purpose of mutual benefit, is 
a different matter, and the proper thing to do. 

Never attempt to rush the play, nor show displeas- 
ure or impatience if your opponent deliberates. It is 
a silent compliment to your skill. Besides you cannot 
play whist in a hurry. It is a game that asks for care- 
ful and deliberate work. If you have not the time to 
play two games, play one. 

Do not manifest exultation when winning, nor chagrin 
over defeat. A well-played hand merits compliment, 
and good players are never slow to bestow it upon ad- 
versaries as well as partner. Whist is an intellectual 
pastime, and you should see to it that no word or act 
of yours disturbs the harmony that should prevail. It 
is singular, yet nevertheless true, that many players do 
the most discourteous acts, and violate laws of social 
etiquette at the whist table, who would not be guilty of 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 419 

such conduct elsewhere. Their lapses arise mainly from 
their absorption in the game, and the excitement it 
creates. But this is no excuse for rudeness. Those who 
play at whist should be jealous of their whist ethics. 



Silence. 

Discreet people prefer to do one thing at a time and 
do it well. The best whist players know that they can- 
not do anything but play whist while playing whist. 
They find that all their faculties are taxed to the utmost 
in reading what the cards have to say. The best whist 
and silence are inseparable. Silence is in harmony with 
the dignity and intellectual scope of the American Game 
of Long Whist, where all the cards are played, and the 
play is for mental recreation. 

Value of Conventional Play. 

The difference between conventional, scientific whist 
—full of strategy, brilliant coups, startling finesse and 
insidious underplay — and unconventional play, when the 
aces, kings and queen are thrown in the order named, is 
very great. The one is by far the finest game ever de- 
vised, the other perhaps the poorest. If four fine players 
were to play fifty or an hundred hands, and then hand 
them over to four players who play at whist without any 
regard to the conventions, the A B's in each case would 
make, no doubt, about the same number of tricks. The net 
result as far as the score is concerned would be the same. 
The preponderence in strength in cards would win in 
either case, but what a difference in the manner in which 
the tricks would be made ! The first would be a mental, 



420 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

the latter a physical, exercise. But if the hands were 
transposed and played as at duplicate — the four against 
the four — the score would be overwhelmingly in favor of 
the scientific play. 

Unscientific whist — whist where there is no co-opera- 
tion, and each of the four adversaries strives for tricks — 
is as near no game as it is possible to imagine. But 
when four thoughtful, silent men play conventional whist, 
the rank of the cards is respected, and the first card 
thrown upon the table puts the four players into com- 
munication, and a delightful mental struggle ensues. 

Reason versus Rule. 

The strongest whist players have the greatest respect 
for the rules — the recognized conventionalities of the 
game. They know that the rules and maxims as laid 
down by. the best authorities are based upon well-known 
truths, gleaned from verified analysis. They also know 
that they are formulated to meet the usual disposition of 
the cards, and that to follow them — in the absence of 
any information derived from the fall of the cards — will 
lead to the best results in the majority of cases. 

The masters of the game are those who follow the 
rules when they should, and disregard them when 
common sense, or their whist judgment convinces them 
that they are at a point in play not provided for by any 
set rule. Rules are for the average cases, and apply 
with particular force in the first few rounds of the hand. 
Unusual situations brought out by the play, often demand 
unusual treatment. The necessity for extempore strategy 
occurs in almost every hand, and is so utterly different 
under the constantly changing conditions, that no in- 
structions can be given to meet such play. It would 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 42I 

require a rule for every case, and any attempt in this 
direction would only confuse the student. A few ex- 
amples will illustrate this : — 

Suppose that B is weak in trumps, or the opponents 
known to be very strong in them ; A has the lead and 
holds, say, ace, k, qu, kn, and others of a suit; he knows 
that the conventional lead from the quart major is the 
kn, but it would be ill-judged play to lead the kn in this 
situation, for B might be void of the suit and thinking A 
led the card for him to trump — waste a trump upon it. 
A should depart from rule and lead from the ace down. 
Again : The opponents have a see-saw; you get in the 
lead and hold ace, k and two small trumps, you may find 
it much better to force three rounds of trumps by leading 
the k then ace, then small, than to lead small, although 
the conventional play. 

Take this case: You hold ace, k and three small of a 
suit not yet in play, and the thirteenth trump; as an or- 
iginal lead, you would lead ace, but here, in the ending, 
if you lead your ace and king, the qu will make, if doubly 
guarded with the opponents; or if with partner you may 
draw it, and the kn or a smaller card make against you. 
But if you depart from rule, and lead fourth-best, 
partner may make the first round for you, even with the 
kn or 10. 

Suppose, again, that A holds ace, king and three small 
of a suit — the usual play is the ace to show five, but if A 
can determine — in any particular case — that it will be of 
more advantage, or the safer play, to show B, by the lead 
of the king, that he has the ace, than to show the 
numerical strength of the suit, he should unhesitatingly 
lead the king. The value of this departure from rule 
can be illustrated in this way; A is to lead, B is ruffing, 
say spades, A leads king d from ace, k and three others, 



422 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

then a spade for B to ruff, and B can now return the d 
with the assurance that A has the king, and that A can 
surely take, to lead again a spade for B to ruff. Had A 
in this situation led ace, B would have been in doubt as 
to the location of king. 

A may lead the ace from ace, 10, 8, 7, 3, and the fall 
may show him that if he follows with the 7, the fourth- 
best, second hand may have a sure finesse; if so A will, 
of course, next lead the 3, in the hope that C will not 
finesse, and thus clear his suit. This play should not 
deceive B, for he will be warned, most likely, by the fall 
to the ace, to expect A to so play. 

Nearly all brilliant plays are departures from rule, and 
in the endings especially, the necessity for disregarding 
the rules is more frequent. You should never permit a 
rule to get the better of your judgment. Rules do not 
take into consideration the state of the score, the rank of 
the trump turned, nor the varying data obtained from 
the fall of the cards, as the hand advances. Take this 
simple case: " With ace, qu and three small — lead ace, 
then fourth-best"; but suppose to the ace partner drops 
the king, if you continue the suit it requires no order 
from the books to have you follow with qu. So in a 
vast variety of phases the necessity for departure from 
rule presents itself; some simple, others complex, and 
you must be equal to these occasions to play the best 
whist. 

Do not run away with the idea, however, that you are 
to play contrary to rule capriciously. You must have 
the best of reasons, and the situation should be examined 
with great care before you depart from rule. 

False Cards. 
It is not in harmony with modern scientific whist to 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 423 

play a false card under any circumstances, not even when 
it deceives the adversaries only. If you, second hand, 
holding qu, kn and one small, play the qu, and if on the 
return of the suit the leader finesses the 10, reading that 
you cannot have the kn, and your kn wins, and by this 
false play you gain a trick, you have a trick that by right 
does not belong to you. There is no strategy, no merit 
in the play. You have practiced a cheap deceit, and 
nothing more. 

Suppose you pick up the following hand: s qu, 10, 8, 
4; h 6, 5, 4, 3; c 10, 9, 6, 4; d 2 — hearts trumps. You 
are the original leader of the hand. If you open with 
the diamond singleton, you have deceived the whole 
table, you have played falsely, and there is no justification 
for your play. You have no more right to play the qu 
second hand, holding the kn, than you have to open the 
hand with the singleton. 

If the play of one false card is sanctioned, so may 
the play of two be, or you may play one card conven- 
tionally and the other not, and the integrity of the game 
is gone. If the right to play false cards, under any cir- 
cumstances, is recognized, the language of the cards is 
confused, the conversation of the game and its intellec- 
tual status impaired. 

The vast majority of American whist players' play 
whist purely for the intellectual pleasure it affords — 
there is no other incentive. With such players the mere 
making of the tricks is a secondary object, and to either 
make or lose a trick through deception is equally unsatis- 
factory. 

If the right to play false is recognized, there is then 
no limit to its pernicious and disintegrating practice. 
Besides, there is nothing to be gained by playing false 
cards. If A wins the first game by a cheap deception 



424 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

practiced upon D, he (D) in turn is at liberty to win the 
second by similar chicane. The privilege to play false 
goes around the table, and in the end you have been de- 
ceived as often as you have deceived others. You may 
not hope to become more adept in the playing of false 
cards than your opponents, for such play is devoid of 
strategy, and the novice will outdo you. But above all 
other objections against the play of false cards stands 
the fact that the play may deceive partner, and there is 
nothing to be gained by the play that will begin to com- 
pensate for the loss of confidence such a play is sure to 
create. Let your cards speak the truth, not sometimes, 
but always. 

Irregular Leads and Play. 

Irregular play should not be confounded with false 
play. A false card is played for the express purpose of 
deceiving. It is unconventional play that no evidence 
of the previous play justifies. An irregular lead or play 
may be called a forced lead or play, but no law is thus 
violated. The various forms of finesse — underplay, 
holding up, throwing high cards, are all irregular play, 
but they are part of the strategy of the game. 

The original leader, having strength in trumps and 
holding ace, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, may lead the fourth-best, not 
wishing to part with the command of the suit. The lead 
is irregular but perfectly proper. You may hold three 
great suits and the ace of trumps single, and lead the 
singleton — irregular, but the hand justifies it. With ace, 
k and two or more small, second hand, you may pass a 
small card led if your hand warrants it. You may lead 
from a short suit originally, though holding a long one — 
it is irregular, but proper if the situation demands it. A 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 425 

may call, and B may refuse to answer, if he has sound 
reasons for it. You may refuse to take a trick, or pass 
two or more in succession. You are playing out of the 
ordinary routine, but you are not playing false. 

If A leads the qu and it wins, he has no grounds for 
complaint if D afterwards plays the ace, but he has, if, 
to the qu, C plays the kn, holding the 10 also — and not 
calling. D has a good reason for his play; C not any. 
To A's lead of a small card B, holding ace, kn, 10 and 
others, may play the ace, finesse the 10, or pass the 
trick, but he has no right to play the kn. Fourth hand, 
holding quart major, may take the trick with the ace, 
and lead the kn. The play is irregular, but anything but 
false. It should be remembered that it is perfectly proper 
to play irregularly when the situation demands it, but 
that it is never right to play a false card. The one is 
good whist, the other is not whist at all. 



Re-entry Cards. 

Many players are in the habit of holding up winning 
cards beyond the limit of safety. Cards of re-entry 
are at times very valuable, and great care should be 
taken in some situations not to part with them, even to 
the extent of passing a trick or two. But they are value- 
less — as re-entry — when you have nothing to bring in. 

It is particularly bad play to hold up winning cards 
when your partner is playing the strong game. For ex- 
ample, A opens the hand, showing a great suit, and then 
leads trumps; trumps come out and B gets in, he should 
play his aces and kings, if he has them, without regard 
to conventions; if he has no winning cards he should 
lead the best card he has of A's suit, if he has none of 



426 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

A's suit, he should lead the best card in his hand; if it 
wins, the next best of the same suit. Play for A, and let 
him take care of the game. 

It is not unusual to see the moderate player in the last 
few tricks of the hand, throw aces and kings or other 
winning cards, to his partner's tricks, or throw them to 
the adversaries' winning cards — cards that should have 
been made early in the play of the hand. 

It is, of course, your duty to keep cards of re-entry to 
make your partner's suit, or for the purpose of throwing 
the lead. For instance, partner has a great suit estab- 
lished, but worthless unless you get him in. In such a 
situation you will endeavor to retain cards of re-entry. 

Leading From Weakest Suits ; Finessing to Save the 
Desperate Game. 

Do not become panicstricken because your opponents 
have displayed great strength, for shrewd defensive 
tactics may force a compromise that may yield you sev- 
eral tricks. Contest the ground, trick by trick, and 
husband your forces, though feeble, by deep finesse, and 
in this way keep control of some of the suits as long as 
possible. If you may save something from what appears 
overwhelming defeat, it is worth trying for. Your 
opponents may have overrated their strength, and through 
their prodigality and your economy toward the end you 
may be able to meet them upon equal ground, or finally 
put them to rout. 

In the face of great odds do not play your best cards, 
but lead from your weak suits, partner must finesse 
deeply, and in turn adopt your defensive tactics by lead- 
ing the highest card of his weak suit. The longer you 
keep control of your suits the more embarrassment you 
will give your adversaries, and the more backward will 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST, 427 

be their game. If your finesses lose, they lose because 
of the overpowering strength against you. You must 
lose, in any event, unless the deep finesse wins, and if 
one or more of your finesses win you may save the game. 
When the situation is desperate, it must be met by des- 
perate play. 

The object in opening the weakest suit is that unless 
it finds partner with some strength you will not take a 
trick in it. Your strengthening card may warrant him 
in finesse, and if your lead happens to be through the 
hand that is moderately strong, up to the one who is 
weak, the play is advantageous. Or your high card, say 
qu or kn, may force a higher card from fourth hand, and 
eventually make good a card of medium rank for partner. 
It is much better for partner to open the highest of his 
weak suit up to your medium strength, than for you to 
open the suit up to his weakness. Suppose this case: 
C has the qu and two small; B has k, kn, and two small; 
D ace and two small; A 10, 9, and small. Now, if A 
leads the 10 through C, B passes, and D's ace is forced, 
and when A again leads, he leads the 9 through C, and 
A B have two tricks in the suit. If, on the other hand, 
B opens the suit, the qu and ace must make, and A B 
have but the single trick. The single trick gained may 
save the desperate game. 

When the forces against you are evidently irresistible, 
as one hand marked with the long trumps and a great 
suit besides, there is no room for finesse. If you have 
the master card, play it, especially if it will save the game. 

Foster s ''''Eleven Rule.'" 

This is a simple and useful rule, applicable when a 
fourth-best card is led. Those not familiar with the 



428 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

rank of the cards, are often perplexed when a low card 
is led, in instantly ascertaining the exact number of 
cards there are in the suit higher than the one led. For 
example: the 8 is the seventh in rank, the 7 is the eighth, 
and of course there are six cards higher in rank than the 
former, and seven higher than the latter. The rule is to 
deduct from eleven the number of pips on the card led, 
and the remainder is the number of cards in the suit, 
against the leader, higher than the one led. For example: 
the 7 is led, deduct it from 11, and it leaves 4, the num- 
ber of cards in the suit, not in leader's hand, higher than 
the 7. 

Listless Play. 

Errors, bad plays, misconceptions, are all due, princi- 
pally to listless play. If the mind be permitted to wan- 
der for an instant, an error is almost sure to follow. A 
single nod, and the odd and the game may go with it. 
The utmost vigilance is demanded of the whist player. 
Negligent play and good whist are incompatible. It will 
not do to simply stare upon the cards that fall, or even 
remember them in a mechanical way. You must not 
only see every card that falls, but you must know who 
played it, and the inference to be drawn from the play 
of each card must be noted at the time. It will not do 
to lag a trick or more in the rear. 

The worst enemy to advancement in play is a listless 
manner. Every hand so played lowers the standard of 
the player's game. It is better not to play at all, than 
to play without earnestness. Your game will be more 
improved by one careful sitting than it can by any number 
of careless, half-hearted ones. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 429 

Hoiv to Become Proficient. 

Those who care to play whist well must study the 
game, and practice with good players. Study, then 
apply to practice what you have learned in theory. 
Discuss the play; analyze it and note the fine plays and 
the errors. Do this after the play of the hand, never 
during the play. From the moment the first card touches 
the table until the last trick is turned, silence is the order. 

Playing over printed games, or hands that you may 
have taken notes of, is most excellent practice. These 
should be analyzed in the most thorough manner, with 
all the cards spread upon the table. In this way the 
bad plays will be particularly impressed upon the mind, 
and their disastrous effects be so marked and evident 
that they will not be easily forgotten. Mark the bright 
plays, and when one occurs examine the situation and 
endeavor to meet the play with one as clever. Very 
often a brilliant play by A may be met by one as brill- 
iant by C. When a finesse or underplay occurs examine 
it, for the success or failure of the play has nothing to 
do with it. The finesse may win, and through it several 
tricks be gained, and yet the play may have been wholly 
unjustifiable. On the other hand the finesse may lose a 
trick or more, and yet be perfectly proper play. To 
judge the propriety of a finesse you must take into con- 
sideration all the data furnished by the fall up to the 
point at which the finesse was made, the state of the 
score, the character of the hand making the finesse, etc., 
all these conditions must be considered. Such analysis 
as this will convince you that it is sometimes injudicious 
to finesse against a single card, and again that it is often 
right to risk a finesse against two or three cards. Finesse 
is speculation, and if the player is in desperate straits 



43° MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

he must lake desperate chances, but, if he is oh nearly- 
equal footing with his opponents, it is evident that it is 
not sound policy to hazard a play for a possible gain of a 
trick to the. probable loss of two. 

In analyzing the play of hands, avoid falling into the 
common error of treating the play upon double dummy 
principles. Suppose in your analysis that you find A 
opened a hand with 4 h; first examine A's hand and 
decide for yourself whether this was the proper card to 
lead; then see what C played. Suppose that "C played 
the 7, holding k, qu, 7, now, do not glance at the hands 
of B and D and decide that C played properly, because 
the 8 happens to be the best card B has of the suit, and 
D wins the trick with the 9. You should rather examine 
the finesse of C from the standpoint of his hand only. 
The usual play, second hand, holding k, qu and small 
card is the qu and the question is — was C justified in 
departing from the conventional play ? Suppose that C 
held ace, qu, 10, 8 clubs (kn turned by D); ace, qu, 10 
d; ace, qu, 10 s; and k, qu, 7 h, and you decide at once 
that C would not have played well to have put up the 
qu. C's hand is exceptional, it is a series of tenaces in 
all the suits, a hand to be led to, rather than to lead 
from. In the event of the trick going to B, C is then 
last player to the next trick, a position of great advantage 
with a hand like this. Observe this systematic course 
through the entire analysis of the hand. Then go back, 
and have C play qu at trick one, and then play best for 
all, and note the result. Do not conclude that C's 
finesse was not good, if by accident the cards lie so that 
he would have made another trick had he not finessed, 
for the best play does not always make the most tricks. 
A may open a hand with the 5 of trumps, holding ace, 
k, 6, 5, and he may find the qu and one small with C, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 43 T 

and lose a trick as against the play of k then ace, but 
this result has nothing to do with determining whether 
A played properly. 

If you do not have printed hands, or hands that you 
have taken down from play, deal out the cards and play 
the hands in the best manner, and note the results of the 
different variations. Then test the books. Try the lead 
of a singleton as against the lead of the long suit. Force 
partner early in the play of the hand before any de- 
velopment has been made in trumps, and note the 
results. Lead from five small trumps and no strong 
suit, or before you have, in part at least, established 
your suit. Have partner miss your request for trumps, 
and straightway force you. Lead trumps and have part- 
ner fail to echo, and then go on with an unnecessary 
round. Call simply because you have five or six trumps. 
Have partner discard from his weakest suit when trumps 
are declared against, or have him hold up all his aces 
and kings " for re-entry " when you are playing the strong 
game, and he has nothing to bring in. Try leading 
through the calling hand, and if partner wins the trick 
cheaply have him return it, or if you have availed your- 
self of the opportunity of leading through the strong 
hand up to the weak, have him at once return it. Lead 
a thirteener for his best trump, and have him pass it, or 
lead it to force the adversary, and have him waste a 
trump upon it. In short, have him commit the different 
whist atrocities, and then have him play conventionally, 
and note the various results. You will occasionally find 
the unconventional play win more tricks than the proper 
play, but, when you do, note particularly if the chances 
are not against this in the majority of cases. 

Analyses of this nature will tend to your rapid ad- 
vancement. At the start do not attempt too much, and 



43 2 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

become lost in the intricacies of the game. Master one 
thing at a time. 

Duplicate Whist. 

Duplicate whist has, within the last few years, become 
very popular, especially in match and tournament play. 
The object of this mode of play is to eliminate the ele- 
ment of luck. As every whist player knows, the prepon- 
derance of strength in cards may fall in favor of a pair, 
a team, or a club for an entire evening, and the score 
may have no value as a measure of the relative strength 
of the contestants. It is true that the fine players are 
known. The high order of their play proves their ability, 
no matter how the score stands. This is particularly 
obvious when the players are of marked unequal strength, 
but when teams of strong players meet, then, at regular 
whist, the victory goes with the players who have by 
accident held the strength in cards, and under such con- 
ditions there can be no such thing as a contest. 

Some players are very much opposed to duplicate 
methods of play, and claim that those who indulge in 
it, acquire a dull and spiritless style, and that their over- 
cautiousness renders them too bookish and routine. But, 
even if this be true, the fault lies with the players, not in 
the system of play. Good players have the same scope 
for brilliant work in the one game as in the other. In a 
match contest at duplicate whist, the primary object is 
to make tricks, make the most tricks that may be made 
with the cards. The secondary object is to make them 
in a brilliant manner. But should not brilliant play 
result in gain ? To say that A made a brilliant play, a 
fine coup, and lost a trick, is nonsense or sarcasm. If 
strong players play at duplicate whist, and lose, it means, 
in the long run, that they have met stronger players. In 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 433 

the end, the strongest players, the players who make the 
most of their cards, will come out victorious at duplicate 
whist. A single sitting will not decide anything, but a 
series of sittings or matches will invariably mark the 
stronger team. There is no escape from this conclusion. 
There can be no other test of skill at whist so perfect 
and absolute as a long series of matches between teams 
of four against four. The value of the quality of play 
must be weighed by tricks, and by tricks only. If A B 
by brilliant playing succeed in making as many tricks as 
C D, who played the same cards in a routine manner, 
the applause is with A E, but their brilliant play must be 
supported by the stubborn facts — tricks. It is admitted 
that bad play or unconventional play will occasionally 
result in more tricks than good play. Four really strong 
players might be defeated in a single sitting at duplicate 
whist by four weak players, but this would be phenom- 
enal. So, also, four strong players may lose to four 
players not quite so strong, through an unfortunate 
distribution of the cards, but the fact remains that, in 
the long run, at duplicate whist, the element of "luck " 
is practically eliminated, and the chances of the weaker 
players is virtually nil. 

There are various methods devised for playing dupli- 
cate whist, some of which have very objectionable feat- 
ures. For a perfect test of skill, four players should 
play against four, and no player should overplay the 
same hand, and the relative position of the four players 
should change at every hand, that is to say, each player 
should be dealer, first, second, and third hand an equal 
number of times during the contest. 

All whist contests, all match games, to carry with 
them any value as a test of skill, must be played in 
duplicate. This method of playing whist renders it 



434 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

practicable to conduct whist tournaments, for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining the relative strength of the contest- 
ants, as in other games of skill; and for this, if for nothing 
else, it is a most valuable adjunct to the game of whist. 

Pertinent Axioms. 

" Silence is golden." 
Don't be in a hurry. 
Make it easy for partner. 
Play both hands as one. 
In union there is strength. 
Never play a false card. 
Play with uniform deliberation. 
Always do your very best. 
Play out every card of the hand. 
Respect the rank of the cards. 
Keep an eye upon the score. 
Discuss the play only between the deals. 
Every hand is an untried problem. 
Do not make a hobby of the call. 
Be fertile in attack, skillful in retreat. 
Good play may lose, bad play may win. 
Avoid random shots — you may hit partner. 
Win with becoming modesty and dignity. 
Be conventional when it suits your hand. 
A coup is a well-judged departure from rule. 
Remember the trump card and its relation to you. 
Let the cards discourse, but the tongue be mute. 
All rules stand second to the fall of the cards. 
If you have a weak hand do not emphasize it. 
Do not always overtrump simply because you can. 
An ingenious placing of the lead may be very ad- 
vantageous. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 435 

Do not, as a rule, unguard an honor or blank an ace. 

Withhold information when you deem it best to do so. 

That it " made no difference " is no palliation for a 
bad play. 

You gather the cards if partner takes the first trick. 

Do not call simply because you have four or more 
trumps. 

Eternal vigilance is the price of the best whist. 

Always count your hand before a card is played. 

Note particularly where the strength in each suit lies. 

Your first discard is as important as your first lead. 

Do not deplore weak hands nor exult over strong ones. 

Keep your eyes on the table and see each card as it 
falls. 

Depart from rule at any time to make or save a game. 

It is a pure waste of time to play poor whist. 

Never hurry — if you have not time to play two games, 
play one. 

When you discard the best card of a suit you have 
control. 

It is fine play only that merits admiration and praise. 

Play irregularly when it suits your hand or that of 
your partner. 

If you win with invincible cards your victory is cheap. 

The highest order of play does not always make the 
most tricks. 

Note the play of your adversaries as carefully as that 
of your partner. 

You should have most excellent reasons for passing a 
winning card. 

Re-entry cards are valueless unless you have something 
to bring in. 

Make no demonstrations of approval or disapproval at 
any time. 



436 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

You should always play the best whist of which you 
are capable. 

First learn to play by rule, then learn when to depart 
from rule. 

When you discard the second-best card of a suit you 
should have no more. 

When it is evident that your line of play is not prac- 
ticable, abandon it. 

The combination of forces is the theory of modern 
scientific whist. 

When trumps are declared against you, discard from 
your best suit. 

False, forced, irregular or bad play may prove a source 
of doubt or error. 

You can draw inferences early in the play with almost 
absolute certainty. 

It is as important to see your opponents' call or echo 
as it is to see your partner's. 

Be careful about reading second hand play for a call — 
it may be a cover. 

Do not play as though you were afraid your partner 
might take a trick. 

Be careful how you throw a singleton early in the 
hand — it may be partner's great suit. 

When you accept a partner, you accept him as he is, 
not as you might wish him to be. 

When you see a way to win, take that way, no matter 
what the conventional guide-posts read. 

Take it for granted that your partner is a whist player 
until you know that he is not. 

When you do not know what card to play, somebody 
has been playing poor whist — yourself, most likely. 

Each card thrown has something to say, and you 
should be equally attentive to all. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 437 

Read only the cards, and never attempt to draw infer- 
ences from the mannerisms of the players. 

Use your eyes and your head, not your fists or your 
feet ; physical whist is in bad form. 

Playing for a ruff is cheap whist, and there is nearly 
always something better to play for. 

Theoretical perfection must be accompanied with 
acute perception in order to play good whist. 

Do not discard too close in partner's great suit ; you 
may need more than one or two cards of it. 

Play a poor hand with as much care as a good one, for 
the game may be won or lost by the play of a " Yar- 
borough." 

Do not draw inferences too rigidly, nor from them 
form a line of play that you may not easily abandon. 

Draw your inferences in the middle or end hand, 
subject to the fact that the play may be forced or 
irregular. 

Do not refuse to take a trick unless the chances are 
that you will eventually take two in lieu of the one you 
pass. 

Throw your card upon the table near the centre, but 
avoid throwing it so that it will slide under those already 
played. 

The finesse of the 6 against the possible 7 is a brighter 
play than the major tenace finesse, and often more 
effective- 
Do not ignore the value of the little cards ; they, like 
the pawns at chess, have their duty to perform after the 
big fellows have fallen in battle. 

There is no easy way to learn to play whist ; you can- 
not go across lots; you must tramp the old turnpike-road 
— study and practice. 

Do not " blow up " your partner if he makes a blun- 



438 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

der, if he is worth having for a partner, he knows he has 
blundered as well as you do. 

Do not forget the inferences you drew early in the 
play of the hand, for they are the guide-posts that point 
the way to final victory, and the simplest one forgotten 
may be the cause of your ultimate ruin. 

Theory leads you smoothly enough along the well- 
trodden paths of the opening play; but when you enter 
into the depths of the after play, you lose your way if 
you have not accurate judgment to fall back upon. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 439 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



COUNTING THE HANDS. 



In order to play whist well it is necessary to read the 
fall of the cards with moderate rapidity. The simpler 
inferences can be drawn rapidly, and with but little 
mental effort. To do this the players must be very familiar 
with the leads, the unblocking play, the call, the trump 
echo and all the recognized conventions of whist play. 

To remember the cards that have been played is a 
comparatively small matter, but to be able to read the 
cards as they fall, and carry the information afforded to 
the end of the hand, is a matter of the greatest import- 
ance. It is very essential to note the fall of the small 
cards, and to mark the absence of any small card that 
naturally should have fallen, for the fact that a small 
card is missing, is notice that some one has withheld its 
play for a definite purpose. 

A great many inferences may be drawn from the lead 
and follow that should require but little mental effort. 
For instance, if A leads the ace, as an original lead, and 
follows with the qu, B should know intuitively, that A 
has the kn and one small card yet in hand. If the ace is 
followed by the kn, the queen and two others are pro- 
claimed. Such inferences as these all the players should 
read without any studying or counting. If a player 



44° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



must stop to think, or if he is in the least doubt, he can- 
not play good whist, for the mind should not be harassed 
with things that should be known without mental effort. 
A number of exercises follow, and these should be 
thoroughly examined, as they will aid the unadvanced 
in becoming proficient in counting the hands. 



JVo. I. — Ace, Then King. 



A's cards — 



* 



I* 



Trick i. 



A A 

A * 



A A 
A^A 



B 



A A 

* 
A A 

A A 



A A 



Trick 2. 




Remark (Trick 1). — This is a v^ry ordinary round, 
and yet it must put the quartette to thinking, and on the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 441 

alert for the next round. C, B and D each notes that 
the deuce and trey have not fallen, and they know that 
A must have both of these cards, unless some one is call- 
ing or B unblocking, and all mark that comparatively 
high cards have been played. 

Trick 2. — The fall is very informatory. A can place 
the remaining card of the suit, and all because one small 
card has not fallen. Suppose that D had played the 5 
and not the 6, in the second round, then A could not 
place a single card in the suit. Mark how important it 
is for A to know that the 5 has not come out. C has not 
the 5 as he would have played it to the first trick, and 
not the 8; D would have played the 5, if with him, and 
not the 6. (There is a possibility that C or D began a 
call and abandoned it, but this contingency is hardly 
worth considering, and will not be referred to hereafter.) 
A not having the 5, gives it to B. Why did B not play 
it to the first trick instead of the 7 ? The answer to this 
is that B began to unblock the first round, and so must 
have held exactly four cards of the suit. A has denied 
the qu, but admitted five in suit, consequently B must 
have the qu and 5. B knows, of course, that A has the 
10, 3, 2. C reads that if D has the qu, A must hold the 
10, 5, 3, 2, for if B has not the qu he cannot have the 5. 
The student will mark that the information published by 
the conventional play of A and B is all in their favor, and 
that while C and D can also read the probable position of 
the remaining cards of the suit, they cannot absolutely 
place the suit as A and B can. Note also that if B does 
not adopt the unblocking tactics, that A cannot place 
the remaining cards of the suit, for if B plays first the 5, 
then 7, the qu and kn may be, for anything A can read, 
with either C or D, and this would make a very material 
difference in A's game. 



442 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. 2. — Ace, The?t Queen. 



A's cards — 




* A 
A A 
A A 



Trick i. 


B 




D 


Trick 2. 

B 








A A 
A A 








A A 

* 

^ 4* 










*** 

A A 
A 






* 

A 
A 


C 


X 






4- 4* 




C 


* 


D 




X 




A 










A 









Remark (Trick i). — It will not do to conclude that B 
is short of the suit because he plays so high a card as 
the 9, for he may be unblocking and calling. C is evi- 
dently short in the suit, and D may be long. 

Trick 2. — Here the fall is very informatory. A, by 
the play of ace, then qu, denies the ten and announces a 
suit of four cards. A can place the cards exactly, the 
deuce has not fallen and he gives it to B, who has called 
and unblocked. B must have one card higher than the 
9, and is therefore marked with the io, 2. D must have 
the 7, and C void. B cannot tell whether the 7 or the 
6 is with A, but he knows that D has one or the other. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



443 



No. j. — Ace, Then Knave. 



A's cards — 




4- 4* 

* 
4» * 

* * 


* * 

* * 

* * 



4* 4* 
4* 

4* 4* 



Trick i. 



*** 



4* 4" 

4* 
4» 4* 



4« 4* 
4» 4* 



Trick 2. 




Remark (Trick i). — A reads that B has not exactly 
four cards of the suit, and is not calling. 

Trick 2. — A shows the qu and at least three small 
cards yet in hand. B played the k on his partner's kn 
to get out of the way. Had C renounced or trumped 
the second round, then B must have thrown the 3, which 
the fall shows must be in his hand. In the event of C 
not following suit to the kn, the 10 and two others could 
be with D, and a trick might be lost by B attempting to 
unblock. 



444 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST* 



No. 4. — Ace, Then 10. 



A's cards- 



if - 

"-■:''V 


M 


*** 

4. '4. 


'^3 


;.J ,.. 


*** 

4.*4- 



Trick i. 


B 




Trick 2. 

PLI 

C s 


B 






*** 

4. 4. 
* * 








4. 4. 

*. + 
4.4-4. 

4. 4. 












4. 4. 
4. 4. 






+ 

4- 


D 




* 
4> 


4» 
4* 




r. 












T> 






* 




+ * + 

4».* 

4.*4- 








\ 
















A 








A 





Remark. — A and B can count the suit with accuracy. 
A knows that B has the k, 3, and D the 6, 5. B must 
have unblocked, as the 3 has not fallen, and A has 
denied all but qu and the kn, for if A held one or 
more small cards, he would have followed the ace with 
the kn, it being of more importance to show the numer- 
ical strength than to show the 10. B and C also know 
that D has the 6, 5, and D that B has the k, 3. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

No. 5. — Ace, Then p. 



445 



A's 


card 






* 


^Mvfc 


4. .4.1 
*** 

A*A 


4. 4> 

4.** 

4. 4. 


+ 








Trick i. 


Trick 2. 


B 


B 




•J* - " 1 






♦+* 1 










4* 
* 














4, 4. 

4.^4. 








4> 4. 






5* "5" 


D 


C 


•TJr ■ K? 


t 






c 














4» rt *4. D 






* 






4. 4. 
4* . * 




*_.+] 










4. 4. 






A 


e 


A 














v 


% 


A 







Remark (Trick 1). — A reads that B has not exactly 
four cards of the suit and is not calling. 

Trick 2. — The second round shows that B can have 
no more. A must have qu, 10, 2 for the ace then 9 (the 
kn falling) marks the qu, 10, and as the 3 has not come 
out it must be with A. The only cards that cannot be 
placed are the k and 5; the k may be with either C or 
D; the 5 may be with either C or A. Here is a good 
point in second hand play. Suppose D has the k, C the 
5, then if C plays the 5 to the second trick, the 9 forces 
D's k, and a trick is lost. When ace is led followed 
with the 9, second hand holding kn and two others 
originally, must play the kn on the 9, for if k is in third 
hand no harm is done, if in fourth hand, a trick may 
be gained. 



446 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. 6. — King, Then Small. 



A's cards — 




v 



•5- * 

4. a 



Trick i. 




Trick 2. 



A * 4" 
a~a 

+ JL* 



A A 

*_* 

A 



A A 
A A 
A A 



D 



Remark (Trick i). — The presumption here is that A 
or B has the ace, but this inference must be drawn sub- 
ject to the fact that the opponents may be holding up. 
It is a common artifice, C or D holding ace, kn to pass 
the k led. A must have, however, either ace or qu, or 
both, and he can have but three more cards in the suit. 
B may have exactly four cards of the suit, though play- 
ing the 2, for when k is led, third hand does not unblock, 
holding four in suit. 

Trick 2. — B must have the ace, 3 yet in hand; C can 
have no more, and D the 9 or void. 



A's cards - 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

No. 7. — Queen, Then Ace. 




4. jf I 4. 

* 

■5- * * 



447 



Trick i. 


B 




Trick 2. 


B 










* » * 

4. * 4* 

*** 
*** 














* 4* 

*** 

A 4. 






* * 

* * 






* 

4. 


D 


C 








a 4. 

* 

4* * 




C 


A 


A 


D 




\ 












«S 











Remark (Trick 1). — A knows that B has the kn or no 
more, or had four exactly, and is calling and unblocking. 

Trick 2. — The fall is very informatory. A shows by 
the play of the qu, then ace, the k and just two small 
cards. The cards that have come out in these two 
rounds show that C and D can have no more of the suit. 
The 6, 5, 2 have not fallen. A cannot have all three, as 
he has proclaimed but five in suit; these three cards are 
all lower in rank than the cards C and D have played 
to the last trick, and unless C or D began a call on the 
second round, they can have none of these cards, and 
one of them must be with B. If B had one of these 
cards and not the kn also, he would have called by first 
playing the 9 and then the small card. It is evident 
that B must have held kn, 10, 9 and one of these small 
cards, and that A can read that B has called and un- 



448 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



blocked. Note how important this information is to A, 
and that if he failed to read the play, or if B had not 
adopted the unblocking game, how much in doubt A 
would be as to the location of the kn. 



No. 8. — The Knave Led. 



A's cards — 




V 

* * 




* 4. 

4* * 
4. 4, 




4. 4> 

* 

4. 4. 



4. 4, 



4, 4. 



Trick i. 



jJ 



Trick 2. 



* 

4> 4. 

4.^4. 



4. '4. 
*** 



4* 4* 

4^ 4^ 

A 



4. 4. 
4» . 4* 

4>** 
4. 4. 



Remark. — The rest of the suit must be with A. C 
can have no more, D must be void — playing the 9. If 
B held three or more of the suit originally, he would 
have passed the kn led by A. By passing the 10, A in- 
forms B that he does not care to have the lead„ 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



449 



No. 9— The 10 Led. 



Trick i. 

B 




Trick i. 


B 


"\ 








* 
















* * 
* 

* * 




*&* 






* 


* 


D 


C 


* 
* 






* * 




C 














n 






*** 

*** 
















V 




















A 










A 





Remark. — It can be demonstrated from the fall alone, 
where the remaining cards of the suit are. A's lead of 
the 10 announced the k, kn; C's play of the qu then 3, 
shows that he can have no more. D's play of the 9 
marks him as void, and A's play of the k, in the second 
round, shows that he led from exactly four in the suit, 
for had A five or more in the suit, he would have played 
the kn on the return of the suit. B must have three 
cards of the suit yet in hand, and these three cards must 
be the 8, 7, 6; the deuce cannot be one, for if he held 
the deuce he would have returned it, and not the 5. A 
must have the kn, 2 yet in hand. The information 
imparted by the fall in these two rounds is unusually 
definite. 



45° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. 10. — The 9 Led. 



A's cards — 



*** 

*** 
**4- 


4* 4- 
4» . 4* 
4»** 
4* * 



Trick i. 


B 




Trick 2. 
(B to lead) 


B 


m 




* * 

* 4- 

* * 

4.4*4. 
4* 4* 














4» 
4* 4* 

4» 














4? 
* 

4» 


D 


C 


4* 
* 






4» 4- 
4* * 


D 


li 


*** 
*** 

*.4» 
4.*4- 




X 




















A 










A 





Remark (Trick 1). — A, by the lead of the 9, shows four 
cards only, and the ace, 10 is proclaimed, and either the 
qu or kn. C is marked with one small only, as with k 
and more than one small he would have played small. 

Trick 2. — B, by returning the 8, can have but the 7 or 
6, or no more. A finesses the 10 on the return, and this 
he would do holding either ace, qu, 10 or ace, kn, 10, 
for C cannot have the qu or kn. B cannot tell whether 
D has the qu or kn. A will not go on with the suit 
unless he has ace, qu, but will wait to have B come 
through D again. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



451 



No. 11.— The 8 Led. 



A's cards — 



*** 



Trick i. 


B 




Trick 2. 


B 










4* 4* 
* * 










4» 










* 
* 
* 






4. 4. 
4. 4. 
4. 4, 


D 


c |BG 

H 






4. 4> 
4. 4. 
4. * 




C 












n 






4, 4, 






•!• 










A 










\ 


£ 


A 








V 


s 


A 





Remark (Trick 1). — What a story from the fall in this 
round. A reads B with at least the qu, 9, 2; he must 
have these, probably the king also; if B has the k he 
must also have the qu, 9, he cannot have k, qu, nor the 
k or qu, and not the 9, for in either case he must then 
have played one of these cards. 

Trick 2. — The fall in this round marks B with the qu, 
9, 5, and B very properly passed the 8 first round, for 
he could read that A's 8 must hold the trick or force the 
k — the one card against. To put up the qu, would only 
withhold valuable information from A. C should have 
played k on the 8 led, as with k and one small, the 8 
led, there is no avail in keeping the king. 



45 2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



No. 12— The 7 Led. 



A's cards — 






4. 4. 



Trick i. 


B 




t/5 








w 
u 

C g 




4. 



w 


+ * 
* * 



D 



Remark. — An unusual distribution of a suit will often 
confuse the novice where the advanced player will at 
once read the location of every material card. This is 
a case in point. A at once reads B with the qu, kn, 8. 
B, knowing that the 7 will force the ace or k, that must 
be with D, passes, simply for the purpose of enabling A 
to read the situation. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

No. i j. — The 6 Led. 



453 



Trick i. 


B 




D 


Trick 2. 


B 


%. 










4* 










4 j.* 

*** 

*** 


V 






4» 
4- 






* 


C 


4* 4° 

* 
4* 4 






4* ^T" ;4 




C 














D 






* * 
4- * 

* 4 






tHk 

;; Vf, ■ 








\ 


















■< 


A 






A 









Remark. — The lower the rank of the card led, the less 
positive information it imparts. Yet there are always 
inferences to be drawn that are important and may be 
missed. The fall in these two rounds shows that the qu 
is against A B; that B- has the 4 or no more; A two of 
these three cards — 9, 8, 7. 

No. 14. — The Deuce Led. 



Trick i. 














Trick 2. 














B 








B 


"\ 








~~ +~ 












* 
4* 






* 4 

4 
4 4 






4 
4 


* 
4 


D 


C 


4 






4'4 
4.* 
4*4 




C 


418S 


D 
















Nat 


A 








A 





Remark. — This card of lowest rank has always inter- 



454 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

esting information to impart. The fall to the first round 
does not afford much positive information. B may have 
the ace. The second round marks D as void, B with at 
least two more, C at most one more. A, holding k, kn, 
8, 2 originally, knows from the fall that B must have the 
4, and so at least one more, and that C, if he has the 9, 
does not have it guarded, and hence the suit is estab- 
lished. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 455 



CHAPTER XXVIL 



CRITICAL ENDINGS. 



The end-hand in whist is very often susceptible of 
brilliant treatment. It is here that the liability to error 
is greatest. To insure correctness in end-play, the most 
consummate understanding of the entire game is requisite. 
In the intricacies of the ending the ordinary player not 
infrequently misses the way, and with it the one trick to 
be played for. You must enter the end-hand equipped 
with all the inferences drawn from the previous fall. It 
is here the clever things, the brilliant coups, the 
extempore strategy is elicited; and beautiful, indeed, is 
the denouement of a well-fought hand that ends with 
some artistic and unexpected stroke. A number of end- 
ings, illustrating some well-known principles, are given, 
which should be carefully examined by the student. 
Many are very simple, others intricate. The simplest, 
however, are worthy the attention of players who are not 
familiar with the strategy of the game, and it is, indeed, 
surprising how many people play at whist, from youth to 
old age, and never suspect they have overlooked the 
simplest points in whist play. 



45 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending I. — Winning Partner s Trick. 



A A 
A A 



O 



B 



A 



A A 
A A 
A A 



D 






















o 

o 


o 
o 
o 




o 
o' 


o 
o 




* 

* 


* * 



(Diamonds trumps — B leader.) 



This simple ending is of very frequent occurrence, 
and the principle involved may come up in a variety of 
ways. 

i. — B leads 7 d; D plays 4; A plays 10 d, and draws 
the last trump from D. Had A, knowing the 7 was good, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



457 



thrown the 6, D must have made his last trump. Here 
is another phase: — 



Ending 2. — Trumping Partner s Trick. 



o 
<> 




O 

o 




E> 




E> 




» 

- 


E> 


E> 



||| 


* * 


* * 

* * 

* * 





B 




c 


A 


D 





o o 





♦ 




* * 

* 



(Diamonds trumps — B leader.) 



i. — B leads kn s; A plays io d; C plays 2 h. 

A trumps his partner's trick that he may draw C's last 
trump. This is so simple that one would imagine that 
no one could ever blunder in it, yet often the odd is lost 
in just such a situation as this. If A, knowing that the 
kn is the best spade in, throws the club, he lets the small 
trump make. A should trump, in such situations, even 
if he is not sure his remaining card is good ; for, if 
it is not, the best may be with partner, or, if with 



45 8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



opponent, he may throw it, — a trick is lost for sure if he 
does not trump and draw the trump. 

Ending j. — Putting Partner in by Leading Your Last 
Trump. 







A A 

* 
A A 

A_A 






o 




(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 

C D have losing hearts and diamonds, but the best 
spades; B is marked with the 7 of trumps and the kn of 
hearts; he unblocked in diamonds, and must have the 2; 
A is in, and requires every trick to make the game: — 

1. — A leads 4 c; B plays 7; and then leads the kn and 
8 of hearts, giving A two discards in spades, and then 
leads the 2 of d — and the game is won. 

The inference A has drawn early in the play, and car- 
ried with him to the ending, enables him to win by what 
appears poor play, viz., drawing the last trump from his 
partner. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 459 

Ending 4. — Putting Opponent to the Discard. 




o <> 
o o 



B 




<> 


*•* 

«p 

* * 

* * 



(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



D 



4. 4> 
4. 4. 



A has the last two trumps — clubs; C is marked with 
the kn and a small d, and the best hearts; B king and 
small d and losing h. 

1. — A leads 8 c; C plays qu h; B plays 3 h. 

C is put to the discard here and throws the h, which 
is better than the d, as it forces A to make the best play 
or lose a trick. 

2. — A leads 4 c; the last trump; there is now no es- 
cape for C, if he throws the heart, B throws the d; if the 
d, B the h, and A B take all the tricks. A, by putting C 
to two discards, makes good for B either the small h or 
d. B must be awake here, and discard subject to the 
cards C throws. When you are left with the last trump 



460 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



and a losing card of suit, you will, of course, always lead 
the trump for you may find one of the opponents with 
two winning cards of different suits, and if your card 
cannot be placed or if through carelessness he throws the 
wrong card, you gain a trick. 



Ending 5. — Leading Thirteenth Trump to Force a Discard. 







C 


B 

A 


D 


o^llN 








£>g|Ni3* 







if 4. 
4. * 



<3 <3 <3l 

<3 <3 1 

<3 <3 <3| 



(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



A is left with a losing heart and the last trump; he 
should lead the trump, and if C throws the h and B 
should have no heart, he gains a trick. A leads 4 c; C 
throws qu h; D should now throw king of d, for it is 
certain that C is holding a d, and if A's small card is a 
heart D wins it, if a d, C. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



461 



Ending 6. — Leading Thirteenth Trump to Gain Informa- 
tion from the Discard. 



£>£>£> £>t 



s? 



0*0 








B 



(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



D 





<? 9?' 







<3 <3 <3<3 

<3 <3 

-3 <3 <3<3 



<3 


<3 


<3 


<3 




<3 




* 


+ * 
* 


vj. 


.]*■>'{• »!• 



You sometimes find it of advantage to lead the thir- 
teenth trump in Order to gain information from the fall. 
A, in the above ending holds the last trump — a spade, 
and a losing d and h and is in doubt as to where the 
master cards in these two suits lie. B may have a win- 
ning h ord but A is uncertain which. 

1. — A leads thirteenth trump; C plays 2 c; B plays 3 
h; D plays 5 h. 

A now gives B the best d and leads the 4, and A B 
take all the tricks. Had A selected the heart at random, 
a trick would have been lost. 



462 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Ending 7. — Trumping a Thirteener. 



* * 



.♦ 

O' 








+.1 + 
*** 



(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



Here is an ending illustrating a point that comes up 
very often in end-play, and simple as it is even fair 
players often lose a trick. Spades are trumps; four are 
yet in — two of which are marked with D. 

1. — A leads the thirteenth c; B, having a losing trump, 
reads that A has led the thirteener for his last trump, that 
it may force the play of D's master trump, making good 
A's second-best trump. If the position of the 4 and 2 
are reversed no harm results, as in this event D must 
make both tricks. You should a/ways trump a thir- 
teenth card led by partner at trick twelve when your left- 
hand opponent is marked with two and your partner with 
one trump. The 4 in the last example makes the qu 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



46; 



good, and jf the trumps are exchanged with A B, the re- 
sult will be the same — the qu making the 4 good. If, 
however, the opponent has but one trump and that the 
best, the thirteenth is led to force it, and you, of course, 
do not trump it, as in the following: — 



Ending 8. — Passing a Thirteenth. 




*A* 








4. ! * 


O 


A 











(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



1. — A leads 10 c ; here it is led for B to pass, for if B 
trumps both tricks are lost. These are simple cases and 
the purpose of the thirteener is easy to devine, but end- 
ings of this nature occur wherein you must carefully 



464 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



read the situation, and to do this you must have at hand 
all the inferences from the previous rounds. Suppose: — 



Ending g. — Passing a Thirteener to Preserve Your 
Tenace. 




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"0 


* * 












+ J.+ 

*** 



(Spades trumps— A leader). 



1. — A leads the thirteenth c, reading D with the prob- 
able tenace over B. B must pass or lose all three tricks. 
Once more: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



465 



Ending 10. — Trumping a Thir teener to Make Your 
Partner's Trump Tenace. 




4 > ♦! 1* ♦! 1*^* 



(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



Here the situation is not so easily read. 

1. — A leads the thirteenth c; B must trump or lose a 
trick. A was forced to lead the c, as the lead of a trump 
also loses a trick. 

The last six endings illustrate the value and use of 
thirteenth cards in end-play, and the student will see the 
necessity of carefully considering the object of a thir- 
teenth card when led by a good partner or opponent. 
You may throw away a well-played game by trumping a 
thirteener when you should not, or by not trumping 
when you should. 



466 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Ending u. — Refusing to Overtrump. 



4- <<■*•■*• 



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(Hearts trumps — B leader.) 



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Care should be taken in overtrumping late in hand, or 
at any time, when you have the second and fourth best 
trump, especially if you need but one trick to make or 
save the game. It is also dangerous to trump when you 
may be overtrumped. In the above ending a trick is lost 
if A does not refuse to overtrump. 

i. — B leads k c; D trumps; A overtrumps; C, in turn, 
overtrumps A, draws his last trump and makes the 
spades. If, on the other hand, A refuses to overtrump, 
he must make his 9 of trumps. Such positions are of 
frequent occurrence. Of course there are situations the 
reverse of this, and if you do not overtrump you lose a 
trick. In this example, A being able to read the dia- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



467 



monds with D should have thrown the 6 d; D must have 
gone on with a d and A's 9 d would have forced C to 
take or yield the immediate trick. 



Ending 12. — Overtrumping. 

s? 



9 9? 

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B 




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(Spades trump — A leader.) 



Here is a phase of overtrumping that frequently turns 
up. The hands can be read; A is in, and if he leads 
either a trump or d, he loses every trick. 

1. — A leads 3 c, C plays 5 c; B plays 5 d; D plays 
kn c. 

2. — D leads ace c; A trumps; C plays 7 h; B plays 
4 h. 

If C overtrumps A he loses a trick, for he must then 
lead a heart to B, but, by passing, he forces A to lead his 



468 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



minor tenace in d up to D's major tenace. A having no 
heart to give B, he must throw the lead into D's hand 
and trust to C making the blunder of overtrumping. 



Ending 13. — Refusing 10 Trump a Sure Trick. 








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*** 
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4. 4. 

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4. 4. 

4. 4. 


4- 



(Diamonds trump — A leader.) 



C knows that B has a superfluous trump. 

1. — A leads 10 c; C plays ace h; B plays 3 d; D plays 
4 c. 

C here throws the ace h, refusing to trump, as he 
knows B has three trumps and that he must trump his 
partner's trick. If C trumps the 10 c, although a sure 
winning card, he loses a trick. B may have missed the 
grand coup here, some tricks back, and in such cases 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



469 



you must, like C, prevent him from recovering the lost 
opportunity. 

Ending 14. — Refusing to Draw the Losing Trump. 

V a V 



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(Diamonds trumps — A leader.) 



B has shown s as his suit; hearts are established in 
D's hand; C can have but one heart and the losing 
trump and three spades. A is in and should not draw 
the losing trump, but lead the king s, to clear up B's 
suit. Note the play: 

1. — A leads k s; C plays ace s; B plays 2 s; D plays 

9 s. 

2. — C leads 3 h; B plays 8 s; D plays kn h; A plays 

10 h. 

3. — D leads qu h; A trumps; C plays 4 s; B plays 10 s. 
4. — A leads 5 s; C plays 6 s; B plays kn s; D plays 
2 h. 



47° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



And A B have two tricks. If on the other hand — 

i. — A leads 8 d; C plays 5 d; B plays 2 s; D plays 
9 s. 

If A now leads a h, D takes and brings in the suit; if 
a spade, C takes and gives D a heart, and A B take but 
the single trump trick. 

Refusing to draw the losing trump is, however, very 
delicate work, and in the majority of cases it is best to 
draw it. As a rule it is best not to draw the trump when 
one of the opponents has a long-established suit and 
your partner a suit that requires one round to clear it 
up. 

Ending 15. — Leading the Losing Trump. 



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(Hearts trumps — A leader.) 



In the preceding example it is shown that it is best not 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



471 



to draw the losing trump, and it sometimes happens that 
it is best to lead the losing one in order to place the 
lead. A knows the 10 h is with C; B the best clubs; D 
the queen of spades; Diamonds have not been led. 

1. — A leads 5 h; C plays 10 h; B plays 6 d; D plays 
5d. 

2. — C leads qu d; B plays 7 d; D plays 8 d; A plays 
ace d. 

3. — A leads 2 c; and B brings in the clubs. Any other 
lead but the losing trump must result in loss to A B. 



Ending 16. — Leading a Losing Card to Place the Lead. 




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(Trumps out — A leader.) 



Very much depends upon the lead in critical endings, 
and to know how and when to place it is worth the con- 



472 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



sideration of all students of the game. Here is a posi- 
tion in which A can throw away three tricks by a single 
bad play. B is marked witli the control of d; D the 
losing d; C the winning hearts; A to lead; he has no d 
to give to B; if he leads a heart he loses every trick. He 
must lead the c and trust to finding D with the best, 
thus throwing the lead to D, and he in turn must give B 
the diamonds and A B take three tricks of the four. Sup- 
pose we go back a trick in this ending, giving to each 
player a club, and then we have: — 



Ending if. — Throwing High Cards to Avoid the Lead. 




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(Trumps out — A leader.) 



1. — A leads k c; C plays 6; B plays 2; D plays km 
D plays a beautiful coup here; if he throws the 7, he 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



473 



loses two tricks. D, being able to read the position of 
the diamonds, should throw the kn c, even if he is un- 
certain as to C's clubs. D must not get the lead — it is 
fatal. In the event of A remaining with the best c, D 
must still profit by the play, for eventually A must give 
C the heart. 

2. — A leads 4 c, C plays 8 c; B plays 3 c; D plays 
7 c. 

A must go on with the 4 c, hearts must come to him, 
to lead them loses a trick. 

3. — C makes the qu and kn of hearts, and A the 9 h. 



Ending 18. — Taking the Eleventh Trick, Although Already 
Won by Partner. 






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B 




c 


A 


D 









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(Hearts trumps — C leader.) 



474 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Positions like this are of frequent occurrence. It is 
known that C and B each have two trumps. 

i. — C leads 4 s; B plays 10 s; D plays 5 s; A plays 
kn s. 

If A passes the trick simply because it is already his 
partner's, he loses a trick, as B must then lead up to C's 
tenace in trumps. In all such cases you should take 
the eleventh trick, no matter if you cannot read the 
tenace with partner, as you can in no event lose, and may 
save a trick by the play. The principle illustrated here 
presents itself under different phases. Suppose this 
case: — 



Ending 19.— Trumping Partner s Trick at Trick Eleven. 











9 




<> <> 










(Hearts trumps — C leader.) 



1. — C leads 5 c; B plays k c; D plays 6; A trumps. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



475 



The principle here is the same as in the foregoing 
example, but the coup is more brilliant, as A apparently 
throws away a trump; but a moment's reflection shows 
that A s trump is valueless, except for this purpose. 

B should be careful — in positions like No. 19 — not to 
force this coup upon A, if it can be avoided, for the 
most wideawake partner will sometimes nod. Let us go 
back one trick in the last ending, and then we have: — 

Ending 20. — Making It Easy for Partner. 









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(Hearts trumps — C leader.) 



1. — C leads ace c; B plays k c; D plays 4 c; A plays 
8 c. 

2. — C leads 5 c; B plays 2 c; D plays 6 c — A will, of 
course, trump, as the trick is against him. B here plays 
the coup, and makes it easy for A. 



476 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 21. — Making It Easy and Sure. 




(Trumps out — B leader.) 

A is marked with the two kings absolute; B is in, and 
should lead the 6 s, and not the thirteenth c, for A may- 
throw the wrong king and a trick be lost. It matters 
not that A should read B with a spade; he may not. It 
may be very evident to B that A should know that B can 
have no heart, but this is no reason why B should put A 
to the test; he must take the certainty, for, no matter 
how good a player A may be, he may have missed the 
inference that would have directed him to make the 
proper play. Suppose, in the above situation, four or 
five tricks were yet in hand, B holding say three good 
clubs, the last trump, and the losing spade; he should 
lead the spade at once — if he knows A has the best 
spade — as he can trump the card next led by A, and 
makes his clubs. If he goes on with the clubs, A may 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



477 



throw the k s. This is all apparently too simple to refer 
to, but these little, simple points are frequently missed. 



Ending 22. — Underplay by Leader. 



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B 
A 


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(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



Underplay is a strategy resorted to in the end-hand, and 
is often very effective. A should lead the 5 h, and if C 
passes, as he would most likely do, unless he suspects the 
manoeuvre, B may win with the kn; if he does not, no 
harm is done, as A will trump the next trick, and make 
his ace and king. If, on the other hand, he leads ace 
and king, C will, of course, hold up the qu, and the 5 
must lose. A simply takes the chance of B winning the 
first trick for him, with no risk to run in doing so. 



478 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 23. — Underplay to Place the Lead. 



•j- •I- *l- *l- 
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4. 4. 
4, 4. 



C 



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(Trumps out — B leader.) 



This suit has not been led; A B have six tricks in, and 
need but a single trick to make the odd and game: — 

1. — B leads 4; D plays 7; A plays 8; C plays 10. 

A underplays here to force the lead to C, that he may 
be last player to the next round, thus insuring him the 
needed trick. D threw the game away; he should have 
put on the kn, and there was no trick in the suit for A B, 
for if A refuses to put up the king, the kn wins, and C, 
of course, finesses on the return and the king is gone. 
The knave was the play, for unless C had the major 
tenace, the game was lost. D should have played the 
kn for the purpose of preventing A doing just what he 
did do — underplay. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



479 



Eliding 24. — Holding Up and Underplay. 



4". 4* 4* 4" 

4* 4* 4» 4* 
4* 

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4* * 

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(Trumps out — B leader.) 



1. — B leads qu; D plays k; A plays 5; C plays 3. 

A reads the probability of D holding the fourchette, 
and if he takes the king he may lead up to the kn, 9, and 
lose both tricks. 

2. — D leads 9; A plays 10; C plays 4; B plays 7. 

A underplays here and reaps full advantage gained by 
holding up the first round. 



4 8o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 25. — Taking the Force with a High Trump, that 
You May Return a Small One to Let Partner In. 



4 ♦ 
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(Spades trumps — C leader.) 



B is marked with the 6 s, and the long hearts; C has 
the clubs; D the diamonds. Unblocking plays a promi- 
nent part in end-play. Many a trick is thrown away by 
partner not getting out of the way, in both plain suits 
and trumps. 

1. — C leads ace c; B plays 6 c; D plays 2 c; A plays 
k s. 

A trumps with the king and leads the 5, and A B take 
every trick. Had A trumped with the 5 he would have 
blocked B's game and lost two tricks — three if he drew 
the trumps. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



481 



Ending 26. — Unblocking Late in Hand to Make Good 
a Tenace in Partner s Hand. 




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(Clubs trumps — B leader.) 



D 




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i. — B leads qu h; D plays 9; A plays kn h; C plays 

4h. 

This unblocking on the part of A is very beautiful. 
It requires the nicest whist perception on the part of A 
and B to read the purpose of this brilliant stroke. A 
reasons that B must have a losing d, and probably a 
tenace in hearts over C; he must throw the kn, that he 
may later on lead through C's tenace (if there), giving A 
the option of taking with the smaller card, this he can- 
not do if he retains the kn, for, if C plays low, and B 
takes with ace, he is left with losing heart, if he does not 
take, A is left with the losing spade. 

2. — B leads 6 d; D plays k d; A trumps; C plays qu d, 



4 82 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3 — A leads 2 h; C plays 5 h; B plays 6 h; and A B 
have every trick. Had A thrown the 2 of hearts on the 
qu, a trick must have been lost. 



Ending 27. — Unblocking. 



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(Trumps out — A leader.) 



One round of d has been played — k, qu, 8, 3 falling; 
C is marked with the tenace in h over B; D has the long 
s; A the diamonds. 

1. — A leads ace d; C plays 4; B plays kn; D plays 2 d. 

B's unblocking is clever; A B require every trick, 
and if B keeps the kn it must put him in, holding the 
losing hearts; if it turns out that the 10 d is with C, no 
loss results, for B then makes his 9 h. The point is that 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



483 



A must hold the 10 d, or the odd is gone, and B plays as 
though he knew A held the 10. 



Ending 28. — Unblocking Discard. 




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(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



A's suit must be h, and he is marked with five. 

1. — A leads 9 c; C plays 7; B plays 9 h; D plays 5 c. 

If B discards the 2 h, he must lose a spade trick to C. 
B might discard the 10 s, but the point illustrated is, that 
you must sometimes prepare to get out of the way of 
partner's assumed suit by an unblocking discard. 



4 8 4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST.. 



Ending 2Q. — Giving Partner Certain Cards, that he 
must Hold — to Win. 



V , T T 9 

T T T T 



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(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



A is in and A B require every trick; the best spades 
and hearts are against, diamonds have not been led. 
1. — A leads 9 c; C plays 7; D plays ace d; C plays 

5 C \ 

B's discard of the ace of d is the only play; if he 

throws a s or h he loses four tricks. B reasons that A 

must hold the diamonds or the game is hopelessly lost; 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



485 



if he retains the ace he blocks A's play of the suit, and 
besides must lead to sure defeat. 



Ending jo. — Throwing the Lead. 



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(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



The hands can be counted. 

1. — A leads 10 c; C plays 9 c; B plays 7 d; D plays 



2 d. 



486 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

This is beautiful work; A makes the best possible play, 
but C is equal to it, and very neatly counters on A by 
refusing to take. A hoped that C would seize the instant 
trick, if he had he would have lost a trick. 

2. — A leads 6 s; C plays 3 d; B plays 8 d; D plays 7 h. 

C very cleverly refuses to take the force; if he does 
he vitiates the merit of the former play and loses two 
tricks. 

3. — A leads 3 s; C plays 4 d; B plays 10 d; D plays 8 h. 

C again passes — to trump would still lose two tricks. 

4. — A leads a heart which C again passes, D takes and 
makes his ace of h and C the last trump, and A B have 
but three of the six tricks. This ending offers a remark- 
able illustration of the possibilities of the game. By the 
best possible play all around the score in these six tricks 
is A B 3; C D 3. Now, suppose A had led a heart and then 
refused to trump at trick four — knowing he would be over- 
trumped — the score would then be A B o; C D 6. If he 
trumps the heart at fourth trick, the score is then A B 1; 
C D 5. Again: If A leads the s, which, by the way, com- 
pels C to play a very pretty coup: — 

1. — A leads 6 s; C plays kn c (!); B plays 7 d; D 
plays 2 d. 

2. — C leads the losing trump, and — A B 2; C D 4. 

Suppose, however, that C misses the coup: — 

1. — A leads 6 s; C plays 9 c; B plays 7 d; D plays 2 d. 

2. — C plays kn c; B plays 8 d; D plays 8 h; A plays 
10 c. 

3. — C must now lead a d, and — A B 4; C D 2. 

Once more: — 

1. — A leads 6 s; and C, giving B the to c, trumps with 
the kn c, and then leads a d in the hope of making the 
9 c, then A B 5; C D 1; and we have all the possible 
scores from A B o; C D 6; to A B 5; C D 1. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



487 



Ending 31. — Taking the Lead from Partner. 



* * * 



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|£>S> £> £> 



«. « ♦ 

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o 



o 



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B 


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(Hearts trumps — C leader.) 



B is marked with kn h, k s and two diamonds; D with 
the best d and no trump. 

1. — C leads 6 s; B plays k s; D plays 9 c; A trumps. 

A trumps his partner's trick that he may lead the win- 
ning clubs. C led the losing spade to place the lead with 
B, knowing he had the k, but he should have led the 
losing trump and thus prevented A from making the 
clever little stroke of trumping the trick already won by 



488 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



partner. It is often best to lead the losing trump, and 
especially so when it draws two for one. 



Ending 32.— Clearing up Partner's Suit. 




* 


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(Trumps out — A leader,) 



Here is a position of frequent occurrence, both in the 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 489 

endings and the middle hand. It is a fine point, and is 
very often missed by even good players. It is reduced 
here to a simple ending, but, as before stated, the point 
illustrated often turns up early in the play of the hand. 
In the above position B opened the hand with the 10 c, 
thus showing the k, kn and others. The 10 lost to the qu, 
leaving the ace yet in. A, to make .the suit, eventually 
led trumps, and succeeded in exhausting them. A is in 
the lead at this point. You should, in all such situations 
as A is in here, lead to clear up the suit for partner. If 
you open a fresh suit, or lead anything else, you may take 
from partner his only card of re-entry, and the suit you 
have played for may not make. It matters not whether 
you know anything about your partner's hand in the 
other suit or suits, you must not take the chance of forc- 
ing his only re-entry card before you clear up his suit. 

1. — A leads 9 c; C plays 3; B plays 7; D plays ace. 

D must now lead a d, and B makes the clubs. If on 
the other hand — 

1. — A leads 8 d; C plays 3 d; B plays qu d; D plays 
4 d. 

B must now lead a club, and will not take another 
trick. The point, as illustrated here, is very simple, yet 
it is often missed. You note that if you are playing in 
the position of either C or D, you adopt the very line of 
play A is to avoid. The point to be remembered is — be 
careful to establish your partner's suit, by leading it, 
before you lead a suit that may force the play of his only 
card of re-entry. This suggests another point: suppose 
D, in the foregoing example, has another club, and then 
go back a trick, and another phase is illustrated: — 



49° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending jj. — Keeping Command of Opponents' Suit. 



o o o 










« 

1* 


<■ 


* 






-V * * 


* 




»J, .J- .J. 




<• 
<• 


« 
♦ 




•J- •£• 4* 


* 4« 
4. .£. 4. 










B 



A 



V 

4. 4. 



D 





~1 


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O 


* 


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O O 

O 
O O 




* 


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1 




4. 


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O O 



o o 
o o 



3. 4. [4 * ^ 



(Trumps out — A leader.) 



1. — A leads 9 c; C plays 6 c; B plays 7 c; D plays 5 c. 

D very properly refuses to play the ace — to clear up 
B's suit, and A is now forced to go on with a d, and B's 
clubs cannot make. Had D parted with command he 
would have lost a trick. Here is another phase involving 
the same principle: — 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 491 

Ending 34. — Forcing the Adversary to Clear Up Your Suit. 




4» 4* 

4» 
4. 4. 

+ 4- 





>S" -S" *5" 
* * 

* * ►:« 






+ + 


ooool 



0000 




* * 




* * 






* + * 



(Trumps out — D leader.) 



You are sometimes placed in the position of B in the 
above ending, and you must refuse to part with your 
only re-entry card. 

1. — D leads 9 d; C plays 2; B plays 8. 

B can read D's hand, and knowing that he must now 
lead a club — thus forcing him to clear up the suit — he, 
of course, refuses to part with the qu d. If he puts up 
the qu he loses every other trick. C should have covered 
D's 9 d with the 10, thus preventing B from playing the 
coup. In whist, brilliancy on the part of one player is 
often rendered possible only through weak play on the 
part of the other. As: — 

1. — D plays 9 d; C plays 10 d, and now, whether B 
takes or passes, he can make but one trick of the five. 



492 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending JJ. — Leading Up to a Double Tenace in Trumps. 







s? <? 




~" 9 ■ 


* * 
*** 


<v> 




9 


<? <v> 




<? 


* * 



- 


B 




c 


A 


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A A A A 

A 4 A A 



o 


0^0 

o o 



°0° 

O 

O 



4. 4. 




(Spades trumps — A leader.) 

Here is a beautiful ending (see illustrated hand No. 11), 
in which the leader (A) leads up to a double tenace in 
trumps, and purposely loses three tricks in trumps that 
he may make good four tricks in his partner's hand. To 
lead up to a double tenace proclaimed against you would, 
under most circumstances, be the worst possible play; 
but the resources of whist are so varied, that some times 
the best thing to do is to force the opponent to take the 
lead, by leading up to his tenace in such a manner that 
he cannot escape the lead at the critical point in the 
play. A can count the hands in the above ending, and 
needs four tricks to make the' game. 

1. — A leads 7 s; C plays 2 s; B plays 3 h; D plays 8 s. 

If A leads a c, d or the 4 of spades, he loses the game. 
The club or diamond loses two tricks, the 4 s three 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



493 



tricks; for, if A leads the 4 s, D takes with 8, and plays 
qu, then puts A in the lead again with the 6 s, and A B 
do not take another trick. Even the 7 s is led in prefer- 
ence to the 9 s, as it offers D a triple opportunity to 
blunder, which the 9 s does not; for, if D takes with the 
qu, and leads the 6 or the 8, or if he takes with the 8 
and leads the 6 — with the idea of, in this way, avoiding 
the lead — he loses, in each case, a trick. 

2. — D leads qu s; A plays 9 s; C plays -6 h; B plays 
9 c. 

D must lead the qu s; any other lead loses a trick. A 
must throw the 9 s or lose the game. D is powerless, he 
must lose the four tricks in hearts to B. A's play in this 
ending is very beautiful and instructive. 

Ending 36. — Forcing the Opponent to Play a Coup or Lose 
the Game. 



* 


* 
* 
* 








c 


B 
A 


D 


1 


] 


OOO 
|0 O O 




+ * 

4- 4- 


looool 






|oooo| 


* * *i 

* * +| 







isis 




IISp^ 


l>f* 4* >J* 


kn^P^"** 


►j. 4. -j. 


■> 1 




[4. * *j 







A 




OOOO 


oooo 









(Diamonds trumps — A leader.) 



494 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

A knows that C has the "minor tenace in trumps and 
three losing clubs; B is marked with the best clubs; D 
the best spades. Each has four tricks in, and the score 
is: A B, 5; C D, 6. A realizes that the game is lost, but, 
that he can force C to play a coup to gain it; he, there- 
fore, takes the only chance, and trusts to C missing the 
coup. 

i. — A leads io d; C plays 6 d; B plays 3 s; D plays 

7 c. 

Any other card led by A gives C the game by simple 
play. 

2. — A leads 7 d; C plays 9 d; B plays 5 s; D plays 

8 c. 

C must now lead a club, and A B have two by card 
and the game. C missed a pretty coup — and with it the 
game, as: — 

1. — A leads 10 d; C plays 9 d; B plays 3 s; D plays 
7 c. 

2. — A leads 7 d; C plays 6 d; B plays 5 s; D plays 
S c. 

A must now lead a spade, and C D have the odd card 
and game. The coup that C missed is very neat, and 
the student is cautioned to be on the alert for such clever 
plays. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



495 



Ending 37. — The Deschapelles Coup. 




*** 

* + 



* 


* 


* 
* 




* 


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* 


4 
4 






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1 
000; 












0> 

c 



(Trumps out — A leader.) 

This bright stroke, the invention of the great French- 
man, is very pretty. This coup consists in leading the 
king, or other high card not the best in the play, at the 
head of others, for the purpose of making a smaller 
card in partner's hand good as a card of re-entry. If a 
small card is led, in such situations, it may force the 
play of partner's only card of re-entry, which may lose 
to a higher card fourth hand — to the loss of several 
tricks. In the above position the best clubs (k, kn) are 
marked with B; A is in, he has no club to give B, and 
his object is to get B in that the clubs may make. Dia- 
monds have not been led. 

1. — A leads k d; C plays 3 d; B plays 6 d; D plays 
ace d. 

B's qu d is now good. It is hardly necessary to state 
that if you suspect the coup, you will hold up the winning 



49 6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



card and not part with control the first or second round 
of the suit. In this example D should have refused to 
part with the ace until the second round, in which event 
B could not have brought in his clubs. 

Ending 38. — Grand Coup. 

~9 




*A* 

A ' A 

*** 




A A 

A A 
A A 




A A 
A A 







(Spades trumps — C leader.) 

A has a trump too many. The grand coup consists in 
getting rid of it. This appears paradoxical, but it is 
true that you sometimes find yourself with a superfluous 
trump, on the same principle that you often have a high 
card that you must throw away in order to avoid taking 
the lead. 

1. — C leads kn c ; B trumps ; D plays 3 c ; A under- 
trumps. 

A throws the 4 s, and not the small heart; if he does 
not, and D properly refuses to trump the kn d next led 
by B — he loses a trick, as : — 

1. — C leads kn c; B trumps; D plays 3 c; A plays 5 h. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



497 



2. — B leads kn d; D plays 7 c; A must trump — and 
D's 9 s must make. 

The opportunity to play this splendid coup is often 
missed and as often rendered impossible by not forsee- 
ing it in time to prepare for it. It is particularly beauti- 
ful when anticipated several tricks in advance and the 
superfluous strength gotten rid of at the earliest oppor- 
tunity, for, if you miss a chance to part with the unnec- 
essary trump— you may find no other. You must not 
forget that if you hold any high card with which you 
will be forced to take the lead, you will be in the same 
predicament as though you had not successfully thrown 
the superfluous trump. Your object is to avoid the lead, 
and any card that will compel you to take the lead, will, of 
course, obstruct your purpose. Suppose the following : — 



Ending 39. — Grand Coup and Throwing High Card 
Combined. 



*A* 

A 



9 <? 



Vo 


<? 







■'■? 


<? 


V 


<? 






c 


B 
A 


D 







000 
000 









■» ♦ ■> ♦, 


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1 


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4 

1 


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* * * 



(Spade trumps — C leader.) 



498 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



r. — C leads kn c; B trumps; D plays 3; A throws his 
superfluous trump. 

2. — B leads qu h; D plays 2 h; A plays kn h; C plays 
9 c. 

A must throw the kn h or lose a trick, for, if he throws 
the 5 h, he must take the heart next led by B, and then 
lead up to D's tenace in trumps. A should throw the kn 
h to B's qu even if he does not know that B has the next 
best heart, for, if he finds the best heart with either D or 
C no harm is done, as in this event no play will escape 
the loss of one trick. 

Ending 40. — Taking Partner s Trick in Order to Force 
the Last Trump from Adversary. 



1 

& E> £> 

! 














1 






€>£>£> 

£> E> E> 





o o 
o 
o 






[♦ ♦ 




B 



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01 



<? 9 
9? 9? 



9 9 

9 
9 9 

9 



9 9J 19 91 j9 9 



4. 4. 





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t — ! 


1 

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■»♦ -I* 4« 

!+ * + 


000 



000 












9 9 

9 
9 9 



(Clubs trumps — C leader.) 

Endings similar to the above may occur. B is marked 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 499 

with the k of clubs (king being turned), also the best 
spades; A the best hearts; C the losing hearts. 

1. — C leads 9 c; B plays 4 c; D plays 6 c; A plays 5 d. 

D's careless play of the the 6 c loses four tricks, for he 
can now make only the ace of c. If, on the other hand, 
he plays the ace he must make every trick but one — 

1. — C leads 9 c ; B plays 4 c ; B plays ace c ; A plays 
5d. 

2. — D leads kn d; A plays 6 d; C plays 2 h; B plays 7 d. 

D keeps up the diamonds, and B must take the force 
with his last trump; D takes the spade next led by B 
and makes the diamonds. Had D known that C had 
winning cards to lead, he should play the 6 c as he did 
do, but knowing that C must lead a losing card he should 
have taken the lead with the idea of forcing the last 
trump from B. In situations like this you should take 
the lead unless you are sure that partner has winning 
cards to lead, for the risk is too great to run. D, in the 
above example, by putting on the ace, made sure of every 
trick but one, and he should not have taken the chance 
of partner having a diamond to give him — unless he had 
to catch the king to save the game. The student will 
understand that when he is left with an established suit 
and one trump, and an opponent also an established suit 
and one trump, that it is of the utmost importance that 
he should have the lead at this critical point; if he has 
not the lead he will not make his suit. In such situa- 
tions the one who is first forced must lose. 



5°° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 41. — Refusing to Part with the Thirteenth 
Trump the First Round of Your Opponents' Suit. 






o v o 





0°0 



<p 


'■:• 


<? 


<? 


•~? 


<? 



^ 3? 




(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



D has the thirteenth trump; A the hearts established 
and marked in his hand. This is a situation of frequent 
occurrence. D in this position should not part with his 
last trump the first round of A's suit. 

1. — A leads knh; C plays 3 h; B plays 5 h; D plays 
10 d. 

If D trumps this trick he loses two tricks, for B will 
get in with his ace of d, and will have a heart to give 
back to A. 

2. — A leads k h; C plays 4 h; B plays 6 h; D trumps. 

D can now trump and lead a d, which B takes and 
then must lead a d, and D's diamonds make. Go back 
a trick in this ending in order to illustrate the danger in 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5°* 



discarding too close in partner's great suit; one, or even 
two cards may not be enough if the thirteenth trump is 
left with the opponent — as the following ending demon- 
strates. 



Ending 42. — Keep More than One Card of Your Part- 
ner s Great Suit — if the Thirteenth Trump is 
with the Opponents. 



♦ ♦ « 
«• *■ ♦ 








E>- £> 


O O O 



E> E> 


O <> O 
O O O 






IE> E> £> 
|£> £> t> 





o o 



o o 





0*0 





♦ 











(Spades trump — A leader.) 



1. — A leads 8 s; C plays 7 s; B plays 5 h; D piays 3 s. 

B loses a trick here by discarding the h, for D will 
now trump the heart next led by A, and A B will make 
only one trick in the suit. The student will readily see 
that if at trick 7 B discarded a h, he lost still another 
trick, for if B has three, D must hold up his thirteenth 



5° 2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



trump until the third round of the suit, or A makes his 
hearts. All that B requires is his single re-entry card — 
the ace of diamonds — and he should discard the dia- 
monds down to the ace and keep his hearts, so that A 
may make his suit either before or after D has used his 
last trump. 

Ending 43 — Leading the Lowest of a Two-Card Suit 
that Partner may not be Tempted to Finesse. 




























000 



000 




il^ 






♦ 









B 



A 






D 



°M<te 







*** 

A' A 




MJsJK 







A*A 


4 4 









4 4 



0000 

o o 

0000 



OOOOI 

o 
ooool 



o 



(Clubs trump — A leader.) 



A has the last trump, the last spade, and the diamond 
suit has not been led. 

1. — A leads 3 d; C plays 4; B plays ace; D plays 2. 

A here leads the lowest of two cards that B may put 
up his best card, had he led the qu it might have tempt- 
ed B to finesse and a trick be lost. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5°3 



2. — B now leads the winning heart, and A B score all 
four tricks. 

Ending 44. — Finesse. 






OOOO 

O O 
OOOO 




0% 







£> 




£" 


E> 




E> 




E> 


E> 


£> 


E> 


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000 
000 



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if 








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4. 4. 




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000 



(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



Finesse is often obligatory in the ending of a hand. 
In the above example, A is marked with the last trump; 
C with the twelfth and thirteenth heart, diamonds have 
not been led. 

1. — A leads kn d; C plays 6 d; B plays 2 d; D plays qu. 

B must finesse the kn led by partner, although he 
knows, absolutely, that it must fall to either k or qu in 
D's hand. If B puts up the ace, he cannot take another 
trick, his passing preserves the perfect tenace, and he 
knows that D must return the suit. It is often evident 



5°4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



that a finesse must be gained to make the odd or save 
the game, and if your finesse loses in such situations, no 
play would win; if the finesse wins, you gain a trick that 
no other play would make. A finesse in situations of 
this character is obligatory. 



Ending 45. — Avoid Making Your Adversaries' Minor 
Tenace a Major Tenace, 



4. 4. 

* * 
4. 4. 


4> 4. 
4. 4. 







* * * 
* * 




(it 
* 


,< : 1 ! 




•:•' 


iltes 





B 




c 


A 


D 




(Trumps out — A leader.) 



,{.*{.,}. 



looool 
o o 1 

looo o 



o 



o 



Players in A's position often lead their best card, thus 
at once presenting C with a trick by making their own 
major tenace a minor one. C, in this instance, opened 
this suit with the 7, to which the 2, 9, and 10 fell, in the 
order named, and A could, of course, read C with the 
k, kn, 8. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5°5 



i. — A leads 5; C plays 8; B plays 4; D plays 3. 

If A leads either the ace or queen he must lose a 
trick. In such cases, when you hold a major tenace and 
a small card against a minor tenace and one small, lead 
the small card. 

Ending 46. — Discarding a Trump. 







9 9 










(Hearts trumps — A leader.) 



You may sometimes be placed in the position of D in 
the above example. 

1. — A leads k c; C plays 2; B trumps; D discards a 
trump. 

D being put to the discard, throws a losing trump, for 
B is marked with a losing spade or diamond — D is 
uncertain which; he knows that B will at once draw his 
trump in any event, and if he discards at random, he 



506 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



may throw the wrong card, and lose a trick. The fall to 
the next trick may enable D to read B's remaining card. 

2. — B leads 9 h; D plays 3 h; A plays 4c; C plays 7 s. 

C plays the twelfth spade here, and D now knows that 
B must hold the twelfth diamond, and to B's next lead 
of a trump D throws the kn s, and the 9 d makes. 

Ending 47. — A Typical Case of 1'hrowing High Cards to 
Avoid the Lead. 




(Hearts trumps — D leader.) 

Here is an illustration of an opportunity that fre- 
quently occurs for a coup. D is marked with the 6, 4 
of trumps; clubs have not been led. 

1. — D leads ace c; A plays qu c; C plays 4 c; B 
plays 6 c. 

A anticipates in time the necessity of avoiding the lead, 
and throws the qu c. If he throws the 2 c he must, of 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5°7 



course, lose a trick. The student will keep in view the 
fact that with a tenace in trumps to your right, a trick 
must be lost; if you are in the lead at trick twelve. A 
cannot possibly lose by throwing the qu c here, for, if it 
turns out that C has the kn c, the trick that A loses in 
clubs is at once recovered in the trump suit. If, on the 
other hand, B has the best club, a clear trick is gained. 
This coup is a bright play for a probable gain, without 
the contingent of loss. 

2. — D leads 5 c; A plays k c; C plays 7 c; B plays 9 c. 

3. — A leads 2 c; C plays 8 c; B plays 10 c; D plays 3 c. 

A must now make his tenace in trumps as the lead 
comes through D up to A. 

Ending 48. — .Forcing the Oppone?it. 




4. 4* 

* 
4. * 

4, 4. 


§r 



0^0 
o 



(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 

A trick or more is often lost in this simple ending. A 
is left with kn, 7 of trumps and the best diamonds, and 
must force with the d or lose a trick, and D in turn must 
force with the heart or lose a trick. 



5 o8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 49. — Playing as though a Suit could go but One 
Round. 




V 

O O 

o o 



♦ 

















B 



D 








s 









ooool 

O O I 

ooool 



0000 
o 

OOOOi 



o 






(Clubs trumps — A leader.) 



A is marked with the best spade and the thirteenth 
trump. Diamonds have not been led. A is in the lead 
and endeavors to gain a trick by underplay. 

1. — A leads qu d; C here should put up his king, for 
C can read that A may be underplaying — hoping to push 
the qu successfully through the king — if in second hand. 
It is A's only chance to gain a trick; if the king is with 
D it must make, if with B no play can lose. C should 
reason that he cannot make the king if the ace is with B, 
for, if C does not cover B finesses the queen and the 
king loses the second round. Playing second hand you 
should be on the alert for this bit of strategy on the part 
of the leader. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5°9 



Ending 50. — Showing Hand by Discard, and Unblocking. 




<2 9 


S? 

9 9 



9 9 



•■:> 


9 


9 


9 


9 


<v 





B 




C 




D 




A 





s? 9 

9 9 


9 




c> v o 










-; 0! 


♦ •* >> 


i^^ss^ 1 




<3 
<3 


<3 




<3| 



<3 <3 <3 



(Spades trumps — D leader.) 



1. — D leads k h; A plays 2 h; C plays kn h; B plays 
10 h. 

The hands can be counted; D is marked with the 6 s 
and four hearts; C has two cards each of diamonds and 
clubs, and B must have the sequence of 6 to 10 in hearts 
and he throws the 10 h to warn A to get out of the way. 

2. — D leads ace h; A plays qu h; C plays 10 d; B 
plays 6 h. 

A throws the qu h unblocking in B's suit to avoid 
taking the lead, for if A gets the lead he must lose the 9 
d to C. 



5 10 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



3. — D leads 3 h; A plays 5 h; C plays 10 c; B plays 
7 h. 

B now leads the 9 h and A gets the needed discard. 



Ending 31. — Giving Partner a Chance to Overtrump. 



*** 


* + 

* 

* * 




4. 4. 
* * 






9 <P 




°0° 


































(Clubs trumps — C leader.) 



C can read the hands. A must have all d; D must 
have one d ; and strength in clubs over B. C's spades 
and diamonds are all master cards; C is in the lead and 
must lead the spade or B will make a trick in trumps. If 
C leads the ace of d, B trumps, and D must follow suit 
and a trick is thrown away. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5" 



Ending 52. — Preventing the Opponents from Making 
their Trumps Separately. 








O 







O 







O 


O 







O 


4- 


♦ 


♦ 


♦ ♦ 


♦ 


♦ 


♦ 






o v o 
o o 



o 

0% 






B 



D 



* * 

*** 
*** 


* * 

* 




<> 




♦ ■* * 

* >» * 




(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



C led trumps to which D echoed, and consequently is 
marked with the 7 s, C the 8. A knows that D has the 
best d, possibly two winning d. 

1. — A leads 6 d; C plays 4; B plays 8 d; D plays k d. 

C and D cannot now make their trumps separately 
and B must make the 9 d. If A had led his long clubs 
he must have lost a trick. In all such positions you 
should avoid leading forcing cards, and, on the other 
hand, if you and partner each has a trump — the oppo- 



5 12 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



nents out — you should endeavor to so play that you may 
not keep the same number of cards in the same suit. In 
the event of D in'the above ending holding two winning 
diamonds A could not lose by the play, for in this event 
no play could save a trick. Go back a trick in the above 
ending and then — 



Ending jfj. — Making Your Trumps Separately. 









♦ 

♦ 

o v o 


♦ o 

o 


s? 


s? 










o 





V V 


s?_ 










* 




*l 


B 


•»■>►» 
►* 


* 




+ 




* >»■ ♦ 






o 




o 


1 










<3 


o 




o 


C D 


I 






o 


o 


o 




SSll 


o 




o 




k^S&ST 






i*~ 


* 


♦ 


o o o 


I 4 


" 
* 




A 


o 
o o o 
















~*MM 








* * 










iJmB 









*** 

* 4- 





(Spades trumps — D leader.) 



The hands can be read as before. A in this instance 
being marked with the kn s. 

i. — D leads ace h; A plays kn s; C plays 46.; B plays 
2 h. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 1 . 



C, here, plays properly in discarding the diamond, if 
he throws the losing club he presents A with the oppor- 
tunity of saving a trick as in Ending No. 52. A is now 
helpless as C and D's trumps must make separately. 

Ending 54. — Refusing to Lead a Thirteenth. 



* 


* 


* 




+ * 

4* 
4- + 


4- 
* 




* * * 

* * 
4. 4. 4. 



* * 
4. 4. 




* * 

* 
4. 4. 





B 



C 



D 



|4* 4* 4* 4*! 



.52s. BsJ 




*** 

*** 





O 



(Hearts trumps — A leader.) 



One round of clubs has been played — k, qu, 4, 2 fall- 
ing — B is marked with the 10 h, D the 4 h. 

1. — A leads kn c ; C plays 3 c ; B plays 5 c ; D plays 
a c. 

A must now make the 10 c and B the trump. If A 
had led the thirteenth d, D must make two tricks. In 
such situations A should lead the suit even if the proba^ 



5M 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



bilities are that he will lose both tricks in it, for the 
thirteenth must let the losing trump make. 

Ending 55. — Taking the Only Chance. 



of. oJ-O-J- of. 






4 1 ^ 4* 



4. 4. 



B 



D 



* 



(Trumps out. — A leader.) 



^p *s» •$• 

►f. -J. .J. 




* 
* 


* * 
+ 




* 
* 


* 


* 



This suit has not been led; C has discarded the 5, A 
is to lead and requires every trick to make the odd; he 
should, of course, lead the trey, as the only chance. If 
the qu is with D the game is gone; if with B any play 
wins, but if with C it is the only play to win. C, in the 
above ending, should put up the qu, for if his partner 
has an honor in the suit — even the kn, his 10 must make, 
and if D does not hold an honor, the qu will not make 
if held up, as B would be most likely to finesse holding 
ace, kn or k, kn. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



515 



Ending j6. — Playing as at Double Dummy. 



s? 

9 <? 





4. 
* * 
4* 4* 


4> 4> 
4- * 
4* * 




B 



o o 
o o 



D 



<? <? 


9? <? 


V 


9 




9? 


9? 9? 


<? 9 


<?> 





L -St-"i 


|+ * * * 


J^s&ffsl 


•*• 




| •$•►!• •$■ 4* 


<3 <3 <3 <3 
<3 <3 <3 <3 




|-J* 4* 


1 *> 




1+ * 


■G <3 





* ♦ 

* * 



(Hearts trumps — D leader.) 



It is known that A has four trumps and the thirteenth 
spade, B must have two trumps, two losing clubs and 
the last d. Trumps have not been led; D is in the lead, 
and C D require every trick to make the odd, 

1. — D leads kn h; A plays 3 h; C plays 10 h; B plays 
7 h. 

The 10 h by C is very clever play. If B has either 
the k or 9 of hearts the game cannot be saved. C knows 
nothing of the position of the k, 9 or 8 of hearts, but he 
does know that if B has either k or 9 or if A has k, 8 h, 
no play will save the game. The kn h must win and be 
followed by the 9 or the game is gone. C plays as 



5i6 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



though at double dummy and throws the 10 h that he 
may not take the lead a trick too soon. 

2. — D leads 9 h; A plays 4 h; C plays 6 h; B plays 
8 h. 

3. — D follows with 2 h; C wins; draws the k and the 
kn c makes, and C D have the odd card and game. 



Ending 57. — Double Dummy No 2. 



* * 



lo o 





000 


B 
C 

A 


D 




000 



000 




0000 



oooo 





4> * 



o 



o o 



(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



Diamonds have not been led. B is marked with the 
7 s; A B require two tricks to make the odd. 

1. — A leads 5 s; C plays 7 d; B plays 7 s; D plays 2 d. 

A must now make k d and the game. Had A led a d, 
C D win the game. If the hands of C and D are ex- 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 J 7 



changed, then no play will win, and if B has either ace 
or qu, then any play wins. A's only play is the trump, 
and trust to finding the ace (if against) with D. 

Ending 58. — Overtrumping Partner. 


















(Diamonds trumps — A leader.) 



The hands can be counted; C echoed to D's lead of 
trumps and must have the 3; D is marked with two 
trumps and a heart. 

1. — A leads k s; C trumps; B plays 3 s; D plays 7 h. 

A must now make the small trump. A leads the k s 
to induce C to trump, trusting that D would miss the 
chance of overtrumping. C's business was to make it 
easy for D by throwing the heart, forcing D to trump, 
and draw the trump from A. 



5*8 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST 

Ending $Q. — Sticking to Rule. 



* * 



k < 4*4«i- , i 



♦ ♦ -c* 

♦ *■ ♦ 



B 



C 



4> ♦ 


4« * 
4* 4> 
4» 4* 




(Trumps out — A leader.) 

D has discarded the io, 9, 6 of s. 

1. — A leads qu s; C plays 5; B plays 3 s; D plays 
ace c. 

2. — A leads 7 s; C plays 8 s; B plays kn s; and C D 
have not a trick. 

C stuck to the rule, here, of not covering an honor 
with an honor, and throws away two tricks; had he 
covered he must have made his 8 s and a club trick. 
Careless second-hand play in the ending not infrequently 
loses a trick or more. It was C's business to cover the 
qu, even if he did not know that D had discarded the 
10, 9, for if B has the ace he is sure to finesse, and by C's 
covering he will eventually make the kn, 10 or 9, for D, 
if with him. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 J 9 



E?iding 60. — Trumping with the Middle Card. 






« «• 
♦ ♦ 




0- ©■ 








e> £> e>| 


,^^^g& 







9? 



B 



o 



o o 



D 




a * 

4. ^ 



4. A 

A 

A A 
A A 





> 


000 



000 


♦ ♦♦•♦I 


111P1S 



<3 <3 <3 <3 

<3 
<3 <3 <3 <3 


^^Pn 




****| 




* *> 
* * * *| 



A A 
A A 
A A 



(Spades trumps — A leader.) 



C knows that B has the hearts; D the best c; A the 
winning d. 

1. — A leads k d; C plays 10 s ; B plays 4 d ; D plays 
8d. 

C very judiciously trumps with his middle trump. C 
D require every trick, and C's only chance is to trump 
with his middle trump, and lead the small, finding D with 
the 9 s. To trump with the 4 s, loses a trick. A player 
holding three trumps, the opponents out or partner 
marked with the second-best, should always trump in 
with his middle trump, reserving the option of throwing 
the lead with partner, with his lowest trump, later on, if 
expedient. 



5 2 ° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Ending 61. — Injudicious Discarding. 






$ ♦ 

♦ * 

♦ * 









* 4* * 






«■ •*■ •* 


1° 


o 




♦ ♦■■«* 


1 







B 



D 













^P 


Kipl 




^^^^>6 










j* ♦ * 

1 



* * 

4. 4. 


*** 
4. 4. 

4.^4. 


4» 4* 
4. 4. 



(Trumps out — D leader.) 

Spades have not been led. Two rounds of clubs have 
been played. 

1. — D leads qu d ; A plays 2 s ; C plays 2 d ; B plays 
3 c. 

A and B's discards are ill-judged. B, of course, 
should have thrown the 4 s, as he must get in on s and 
his partner is marked with the best clubs. A should 
have thrown the c as it is evident that he cannot make 
them all, and he should not expose his hand, thus sub- 
jecting B to the adverse finessing of D. 

2. — D leads 3 s ; A plays 7 c ; C plays kn s ; B plays 
k s. 

B leads 4 s — and D, knowing A is void, simply covers 
with the 9 s and A B have but one trick in the suit. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 21 



Had A discarded a c, and followed suit to the first round 
of spades, D must have played qu as the 10 s and the 
winning c might be with A, and the finesse would lose 
two tricks, a risk D would not run, unless he required 
every trick to save the game. Had A B discarded as 
they should, they must have made four of the five tricks. 

Ending 62. — Discarding No 2. 




s? 



<? 


9? 



0% 


c ? 


<? 



E> £> E> 



!f> 


£> 


F> 


+ 


* 


* 


i f> 






• 


- 




k 


E> 


E> 


* 


< 


* 



£> £> E> £> 



O <0 

o 

o <> 



B 



I) 






4. 4. 



4» 4* 

**4> 
4. 4. 



4» 



(Diamonds trumps — B leader.) 



*4>* 

* + 

4* 



•3 


<3 


<3 


<3 


<3 


<3 




<3 


<3 


<3 


<3 




<3 



Hearts have not been led— clubs one round. 

1. — B leads 8 d ; D plays 2 c ; A plays 10 h ; C plays 



5d. 

2. — B leads 4 h ; D plays 2 h ; A plays 3 c ; C plays 
7 h. 

A's discard of the 10 h was bad. While it is true that 
the 10 h was not likely to make a trick or even help to 



522 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

make a trick for B, yet it was certain that A could not 
make all his clubs and he should have discarded the 3 c 
— retaining his 10 h in the hope that it would do just 
what, in this instance, it would have done — force a high 
card from C. As: — 

1. — B leads 8 d; D plays 2 c ; A plays 3 c ; C plays 
5 d. 

2. — B leads 4 h; D plays 2 h ; A plays ioh; C plays 
ace h. 

The 10 h forces the ace h, and A B have three tricks 
— a gain of a trick. Toward the end of a hand it is 
folly to hold on to a long suit, when it is evident that it 
cannot make entire, for even a card like the 10 or 9 of 
another suit may be of great use to partner, and to dis- 
card all your suits and keep only the one long one, in 
such situations, is very injudicious. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 523 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS. 

The illustrated hands that follow are taken from 
actual play. 

The players are supposed to follow the rules of play 
as laid down in this work. 

The student who examines the hands, and draws his 
inferences from the fall of the cards, will find that the 
players do not always make the play the situation de- 
mands. But hands showing good, bad and indifferent 
play, with comments, are considered of more value than 
the illustration of prearranged hands. 



5 2 4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC. WHIST. 



Hand I. 

A Neat Play for the Odd. 
(Score: A B, 6; C D, 6. 2 c turned. C leader.) 



THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


ace, k, 9, 6, 5,4 


qu, 8, 7, 2 


10 


kn, 3 


h 


qu 


k, 10, 4 


kn, 9, 8. 7,3,2 


ace, 6, 5 


c 


9, 8, 2 


kn, 10, 5, 4 


ace, k, 3 


qu, 7, 6 


d 


ace, qu, 10 


k,4 


kn, 6, 3 


9. 8, 7, 5. 2 



The Play. 



Trick i. 



^ 




Tricks \ ~ ^ J 
{ C D, o 



Trick 2. 





Tricks J ^ B.i 



Trick 2. — A's position is difficult. He leads the qu h ; 
assuming that if B has any suit it must be hearts. Thed 
or s is out of the question, and he prefers the strengthen- 
ing qu h to the trump. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 2 5 



Trick 3. 






B 



^ 



te,cks Jcd:? 



Trick 4. 




Trick 4. — A is in a dilemma, and he prefers the lead 
of a trump to forcing partner or opening from his dia- 
mond tenaces. 



Trick 5. 



4- * 



4» a 
4> •{. 



A 



Tricks 



|AB, 4 
(CD,i 



Trick 6. 




A 



Tricks 



j A B, 
( C D, 



Tricks 5-6. — B knows that A has led trumps irom 
three, possibly only two, but he reads him with strength 
in the other suits. 



526 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Trick 7. 



0" 


~5 





♦ 









o o 






<> 














Tricks 



( A B, 
( C D, 



Trick 8. 



O O 
O 



A 
Tricks 



( A B, 
i C D, 



Trick 9. 



Trick 10. 














s> 





♦ 











9? <? 
























Tricks 



i A B, 
I C D, 



Tricks j ^ B, 6 



Trick 9. — The 10 h, by C, is a neat play. Had C 
trumped the ace, the game was lost. A must now lead 
to C's tenace in s. 

Tricks n-13. — C makes the remaining tricks, and 
C D score the odd card and game. 

Remark. — C saved the game by clever end-play. 
Throwing the lead is at times very effective. Only by 
the lead of the 4 d (trick 8) and the discard of the 10 h 
(trick 9) could C make the game. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 2 7 



Hand II. 

A Critical Ending. 

(Score: AB,5;CD,6. 3c turned. C leader.) 

THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


c's HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


qu, 10 


k, 6, 5, 


ace, 9, 8, 7, 2 


kn, 4, 3 


h 


k,4 


9, 8, 6, 5 


kn, 7 


ace,qu, 10, 3,2 


c 


10, 8, 6, 3 


ace, k, kn 


9. 7, 5, 4 


qu, 2 


d 


ace, 10, 6, 5, 2 


qu, kn, 4 


k, 9 


8,7,3 



The Play. 



Trick i. 


B 


<* 


9? 9 




<j> <yl 


£L_J? 


C 


9 





Tricks 



(AB,i 
1 CD, o 



RIC 


K 2. 










B 




♦ 











0^0 






















C 






























A 



Tricks 



(AR,2 
|CD,o 



528 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Trick 3. 



O O 


O O 








A 



Tricks 



JAB, 3 
1 CD.o 



Trick 4. 



4, 4 



B 


» 


Q 


Y 

1 * 

1 * 
1 <» 


*** 





■r A B, 4 

Tricks 1 .- ,V 

|CD,o 



Trick 5. 




Trick 6. 




The play so far has been strictly conventional. The 
hand is very ordinary; but the simplest hands, and the 
most routine play, often bring out situations that demand 
careful and exact work. D reads that the trumps are 
probably nearly evenly divided; the hearts are estab- 
lished; he has the best spade, C most likely the qu d — it 
cannot be with B. B's hand is evidently either four spades 
and three trumps, or four trumps and three spades. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



5 2 9 



Trick 7. 




Trick 8. 



^ 



B 



+ + 
* 

* * 



* + 

A 



Tricks -I AB ' 4 

1 KICKS -j C D>4 



Trick 7. — D is justified in starting trumps, although he 
has but two. 



Trick 9. 



f 



A, A 
* 

+ * 



«P 



o o 

0% 



A 

Tricks 



j AB, 
1 C D, 



Trick 10. 



f+ 




B 
* 4* 

*** 

4. 4. 














9 

9? 


c 


~~0~~ 















Tricks j ^ g. 5 



Trick 10. — C here plays the only card to win the 
game. If he leads a s or d, he loses two tricks and the 
game. In this hand, as actually played, C led the qu d, 
and defended his play upon the ground that if he led 
a h, B would trump and A discard, and that B would 



53° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



then lead a spade which A would trump — thus making 
their trumps separately. 

But C did not go deep enough. When D at trick 9 
discarded the 8 d, C could locate every card except the 
kn s. A must have the 10, 6, 2, d, and a trump; B three 
s and a trump; D three hearts and a s. B's spades may 
be the kn, 9, 2, or the 9, 8, 2; if the former, C D will not 
take a trick no matter how C plays. D must have the 
kn s or the game cannot be made or saved, and C should 
have played upon the assumption that D had the kn s, 
and, consequently, the heart is the only play. One of 
the opponents will trump and the other discard, whether 
C leads ah or d. But C should have played so that 
both their re-entry cards could not be trumped. 



Trick ii. 




~ ( A B, 6 

Tricks-| cd ; 5 



Trick 12. 






















Tricks j A B. 6 



Trick 13. — D makes the h trick, and C D score the odd 
card and game. 

Remark. — The above hand offers a good illustration 
of how completely at the mercy of the cards the best 
players may sometimes be, even against weak play. A 
B might have played their cards to score nine tricks. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 531 

Suppose A, at trick 2, leads a trump, a play for which 
there is no justification; C must win with one of his 
honors, and' has nothing to do but go on with hearts; D 
wins with ace, and must then open either the sord; if he 
selects the kn s as the card less likely to deceive or injure 
U, it is won by B, who returns the trump, and A B score 
three by cards — a difference of three tricks. 



532 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Hand III. 

Compelling the Opponent to Play a Coup to Save 
the Game. 

(Score: A B, 4; C D, 6. Ace s turned. D leader.) 
THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


qu, 10, 4, 3 


kn, 8, 7, 5 


ace, k 


9. 6, 2 


h 


3.2 


kn, 7, 6, 5 


ace, k, qu, 8, 4 


10, 9 


c 


8, 7, 2 


kn, 10, 9 


6,4. 3 


ace, k, qu, 5 


d 


k, 9- 3. 2 


qu, 6 


ace, 5, 4 


kn, 10, 8, 7 



The Play. 



Trick i. 






A 



Tricks 




Trick 2. 




MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



533 



Trick 3. 



B 



4. 4. 

* * 
4, * 



A 



Tricks ■ 



A B,o 
CD, 3 



Trick 4. 












& 





























-<- 



A 



Tricks 



|AB,i 
|CD,3 



Trick 3. — D goes on with clubs, hoping to profit by 
C's discard, as he is the one most likely to be void. But 
D's better play would have been his fourth-best d, re- 
taining the ace of clubs as a probable useful card of 
re-entry. 



Trick 5. 




A 



Tricks 



j A B, 

( C D, 



Trick 6. 




Trick 5. — A begins a late call; B may have the hearts 
well in hand, and if A can have a d come through D, A 
will make two tricks in the suit. Besides, B has the ace 
turned, and if the second round of trumps should fall to 



534 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



C, the position is in A's favor, as C must then lead either 
a h or a d. 

Trick 6. — The 2 h not falling (Tricks), and the 9 h 
dropping from D, B deems it best to exact two rounds of 
trumps. 



Trick 7. 



A A 



* * 



A A 



A 
Tricks 



j A B, 
1 C D, 



Trick 8. 



9 


5? 


9 


9 


5> 


9 



D 



Tricks 



A B, 5 
C D.3 



Trick 8. — B's lead of the ace h was ill-advised. (See 
remarks.) 



Trick 9. 


















♦ 



^ 



o 



o o 



0^0 

0^0 

0<>0 





A 

Tricks 



j A B, 
(CD, 



Trick 10. 




Tricks \ ^ ^ 

I CD, 3 



Trick 10. — C plays a fine coup. The sacrifice of the 
kn s is the only way to save the game. C can read that 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



535 



A is sure to follow with the losing trump, if C throws the 
8 s. If C does not part with control, he must then lead 
a heart to sure defeat. 



Trick ii. 



B 



9 9 



9 <? 



<? V 



io°ol 



Tricks 



UB,7 
{CD, 4 



Trick 12. 




Tricks] £ B. 7 



Trick 13.— A makes the 10 s, and A B score two by 
cards, and C D save the game. 

Remark. — It not infrequently happens that a player 
must sacrifice a high card in the ending to avoid the 
lead. C saved the game, at trick 10, by throwing the 
kn. C was powerful only for harm, and had he played 
solely for his own hand, he could have taken one trick, 
but he would have lost two for his partner. C did not 
take a trick, but he made it possible for D to take two 
tricks that would have been lost except for his skillful 
work. There can be no real whist unless each player 
plans for the play of twenty-six cards. 

B, by the lead of the ace h — trick 8 — made it possible 
for C D to save the game. B should have led the 4 d. A 
was marked with two trumps, and B should have played 
to let A in, to draw the trumps. Besides, there was too 
much danger of doing just what B did- — draw A's last 
heart. Furthermore, the risk of D trumping the ace h 
was great. Had B, at trick 8, led the d through D, A B 
must have made three by cards, and game. 



536 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Hand IV. 



Departing from Rule. 



(Score: A B, i; C D, 6. 4 h turned. C leader.) 



THE HANDS. 



s 


a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


5 


k, qu, kn, 10 


ace, 2 


9, 8, 7, 6, 4, 3 


h 


qu, 9,7,6, 5,4,3 


kn, 8 


ace, 10, 2 


k 


c 


kn, 6, 4 


9, 8, 7, 2 


k, 10, 5 


ace, qu, 3 


d 


6,5 


9.8,3 


ace, qu,kn,7,4 


k, 10, 2 



The Play. 



Trick i. 



t* 




© 
















* 
* 

* 


c 




















♦ ♦ 







Tricks 



( C D, o 



Trick 2. 



O 



O O 

A 



D 



Tricks 



( A B, 2 
I C D,o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



537 



Trick 3. 




Tricks |cd;? 



Trick 4. 













c 


*** 






* * 








9? 9? 




-<- 



A 
Tricks 



$ AB, 3 

|CD,i 



Trick 4. — D has nothing better than to return his part- 
ner's suit. A did not call even though holding seven 
trumps. A ruffs with the 6 — the fourth-best. 



Trick 5. 



9 <? 







A 



TR,CKs{£g.4 



Trick 6 




Trick 5. — A leads trumps for B's d, and shows three 
higher than the 6. 

Trick 6. — B reads five trumps with A, yet in hand; D 
can have no more, and C but one. The return of the 2 h 
is the one bright play of the hand. The book play is to 



538 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



return the 10, the higher of two, but B sees the game — 
the qu h with A — if he can make the diamonds, and he 
trusts to A reading the play. 



Trick 7. 



O 



♦ o 











4> ♦ 






9 5? 




* * 







A 



Tricks 



(AB,6 
( C D, 1 



Trick 8. 




Tricks] £ ^' J 



Trick 7. — A reads the situation. B must have the 10 
h unless C is playing false, and even if C has the 10, it 
must make, and nothing is lost for, if C has the 10 h, A 
will trump the spades, when led, and lead B the strength- 
ening kn c 

Tricks 9-13. — B brings in the diamonds, and A makes 
the long trumps, and A B score six by cards and game. 

Remark. — A player is always justified in departing 
from rule when the situation demands it. Such play does 
not usually deceive partner or the opponents, for the 
previous fall of the cards is of such a character as to 
warrant all the players to suspect exceptional play; at 
least they draw inferences subject to the probability that 
the play may be irregular. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



539 



Hand V. 

Anticipating a Call. 

(Score: A B, 6; C D, 4. Kn s turned. A leader.) 

THE HANDS. 





AS HAND. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


qu, 5. 3. 2 


ace, k, 10, 8 


9.4 


kn, 7, 6 


h 


k, kn, 9 


4, 2 


ace, qu, 10, 8 


7. 6, 5, 3 


c 


kn 


ace, k, qu, 8, 4 


10, 9, 7, 6 


5.3. 2 


d 


qu, io, 8, 5, 3 


9,6 


k, kn ; 7 


ace, 4, 2 



J7'/^ Play. 



Trick i. 












Trick 2 
















B 






B ^ 




<> 






<^» 




















D 


C 


♦ 








'0 













C 





D 




























1 
















V 


A 






A 




( A R t 

TlUCKS \ ~ t^' 

( L D, 




Tricks] £ g, 1 



Trick 1. — D refuses to take the k. C has played a 
suspiciously high card, and may be calling; if so, and B 
returns the suit, D, by playing the ace, will be in to 
answer the call. If B does not return the suit, C will be 
last player to any suit B may open, and D prefers this to 
taking the lead and opening a suit only 7 high. 



54° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Trick 2. — B returns his partner's suit in preference to 
opening the double tenace in hearts. B can read that A 
has qu, 10, 8 d; D the 4 d. C completes the call. 



Trick 3. 




Trick 4. 



*** 













♦ ♦ 
♦ 

* * 



Tricks-! £ **• I 
I C D,3 



Trick 5. 



•* 



IS 



9? 9? 



* 

4 ♦ 






Tricks ■} ~ ~' x 
I C D,4 



Trick 6. 



**■ 






o 



o o 



Tricks 



,J A B,i 
"I CD. 5 



Trick 5. — B discards from his best protected suit. 
The object in this is very evident here. If B discards 
from the club suit he loses two tricks. 

Trick 6. — B plays well by discarding another heart. 
^C's suit must be clubs, and unless he has quart major, B 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



541 



must make the 10 c. B must keep the D to give to A, 
as the k of li may be against. 



Trick 7. 




Tricks j £ g, 1 



Trick 8. 





B 




c. 


* 








* 

4, 






* 











A 

Tricks 



A B.i 
C D, 7 



Trick 8. — A's discard of the 9 h is well judged. He 
reasons that B must have 10, 9, or 10, 8 of c, for if B 
held originally but three clubs, his second discard would 
(most likely) have been the 6 c and not the 10 h. But, 
aside from this negative inference, A can read that B 
must have two clubs remaining. He is marked with the 
ace, qu h only, the 7 d and two clubs. 



Trick 9. 




B 








Trick 10. 




B 










* * 

* * 
















* + 

* 
4, 4. 


D 


C 


9? <? 


IB 








C 










D 







0% 






























A 
Tr 


icks j c D | g 


A 
Tricks] £ g; * 



54 2 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Tricks 11-13. — B makes the ace h, and 10 c; A the qu 
d, and C D score two by cards, and A B save the game. 

Remark. — D's underplay to the first trick, and B's 
judicious discarding (Tricks 5 and 6) are worthy of note. 
The object in discarding from the best protected suit, 
when trumps are declared against, is very obvious in this 
instance. Had B weakened his club suit by a single dis- 
card, he rendered it worthless. Besides, when players 
can be depended upon to make the correct discards, the 
play is often very informatory. For example, B's dis- 
card of the 8 and 10 of h, marked him with the ace and 
qu of the suit, and A's discard (Trick 8) of the 9 h en- 
abled B to read him with the k, kn h. It was immaterial 
whether A discarded the 9 h or the 8 d, at trick 8, as far 
as making tricks was concerned, but A knew that if he 
threw the 9 h, B could read his holding in the suit. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST, 



543 



Hand VI. 

Holding Up. 
(Score: A B, 6; C D, o. 2h turned. C leader.) 



THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


qu, 7 


k, 8, 5 


ace, kn, 4, 3, 2 


10, 9, 6 


h 


ace, qu, 3, 2 


10, 9, 8 


5,4 


k, kn, 7, 6 


c 


6,5 


ro, 9, 7 


8, 4, 3, 2 


ace, k, qu, kn 


cl 


ace, k, 7, 6, 4 


qu, kn, 10, 9 


8,5 


3, 2 



77/<? iV<y<. 



Trick i. 



B 


^"~^ 









o 







A 



Tricks 



j A B,o 

(CD,i 



Trick 2. 



^ 



O 

o o 



R> 


^ 







0- 


♦ 




A 


o 


O 



<> 


"0 


C> 


♦ 





<c> 



A 



~ ( A B,o 

TRICKs•| CD) • 2 



Trick 1. — A refuses to take the queen. (See Re- 
marks.) 

Trick 2. — C shows kn, 10 d only. D can read that A 



544 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



is holding up, and that he is probably strong in trumps, 
but he is forced to complete the call. 



Trick 3. 




B 








Trick 4. 




B 




























S? 9? 


D 


C 








9 9 
9 9 
9 9 




C 














D 






9 






9 
9 
9 




























A 
Tr 


He & 




A 

Tricks] £ J*'° 
} CD, 4 



Trick 3. — A still refuses to take. D does not echo as 
he reads A's play. 

Trick 4. — D played without due consideration here ; 
he should have put up the kn h, forcing A to take the 
lead. 



Trick 5. 




A 

Tricks |cd; 4 



Trick 6. 







* 




4. * 






H 










9 











A 



Tricks 



j A B, 
I C D, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



545 



Trick 5. — C is also at fault here. He could read that 
if A was not holding up, he could have no more trumps. 
The four honors are yet in play ; D cannot have all four 
or he surely would have echoed, and B would certainly 
have covered the 9, holding any two of the honors four 
in suit. 



Trick 7. 



0^0 

o o 



A A 



A 
Tricks 



\ A c B 



D,4 



Trick 8. 




4. 4. 


*A* 








Tricks i ^ t-.* ^ 
I C D,4 



Trick 9. 



Trick 10. 







4» , 4* 
* 4» 






* * 

•?• . 4- 
4-** 
4. 4. 






*** 

A " A 

** A 










V 
















Tricks {cd;4 



j 



Tricks J ^g; J 



Trick 10. — A leads B the strengthening spade. C's 
cover is good; if he passes he loses two tricks. C, noting 



546 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



that D lias discarded three spades — the 6, 9, 10, — sees 
that by putting up the k, he must make his 8 s. 



Trick ii. 




Tricks |cd;I 



Trick 12. 



I* ♦ 

c ♦ 4 

I * 

I* * 



B 

4~» 4* 

* 
4, 4. 




Tricks J £ g. 7 



Trick 13. — D makes his k c and A B score the odd 
card and game. 

Remark. — Such unusual finesse as A practiced (Tricks 
1-4) is rarely sound. The temptation to underplay was 
great. His situation was difficult ; if he took the qu d 
(Trick 1) he had nothing to lead to apparent advantage. 
But here, as in the vast majority of cases, ordinary play 
would have resulted in more tricks, and the safest play 
for A was to win the qu d and lead the qu s. A's per- 
sistent holding up was successful only because the oppo- 
nents permitted it to become so, for D (Trick 4) and C 
(Trick 5) could have defeated A's game, as pointed out 
in the notes. C's play of the k s (Trick 10) illustrates 
that second hand is often directed to the correct play by 
the previous discards. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



S47 



Hand VII. 



Refusing to Answer the Call. 
(Score: A B, 4; C D, 6. 3 c turned. A leader.) 



THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


CS HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


ace, k, qu, 4, 3 


kn, 10, 8, 7, 5 




9, 6, 2 


h 


kn, 6 


qu, 7, 4 


ace, k, 10, 9, 8 


5. 3.2 


c 


2 


7 


ace, k, 10, 5, 4 


qu,kn, 9,8,6,3 


d 


kn, 7, 6, 4, 3 


ace, k, qu, 2 


10, 9, 8 


5 



7%* Play. 



Trick i. 




Tricks \ ~ J*' * 
( C D, o 



Trick 2. 



4 A 



B 



♦ * 



O O 

0% 



A * 
A A 

A A 



Tg ICKS 



) A B, 2 
J C D,o 



Trick 1. — B makes the single discard call. 

Trick 2. — A very judiciously refuses to answer the 
call. He can safely go on with s, giving B another dis- 
card. A has no re-entry, and he must make the spades 
now or not at all. 



548 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Trick 3. 



B 



♦ ♦ 



o o 



4 4 



A 
Tricks 



A B,3 
C D,o 



Trick 4. 




D 



Tricks 



J AB )4 
I C D,o 



Trick 3. — A keeps up the s, he has but one trump, and 
deems it best to give B another discard. If either C or 
D is void of s, then one or the other must have held six 
originally, which A considers is unlikely. 

Trick 4. — B's suit must be hearts, and A prefers to 
lead B the strengthening kn in preference to the trump. 
Had A answered the call at this point he would have lost 
two tricks and it would have brought about a very neat 
ending. (See Critical Ending, No. 51.) 



Trick 5. 




Tricks 



Trick 6. 






Tricks |cd',o 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



549 



Trick 5. — A, of course, goes on with hearts, giving B 
the advantage of the finesse against C. 



Trick 7. 




Tricks | £B,7 



Trick 8. 




D 



Tricks 



j AB,8 
(C D.o 



Trick 9. 









* 

A A 

A V A 



A 
Tricks 



A B, 8 
C D,i 



Trick 10. 




Tricks \^^' 8 
I C D, 2 



Tricks 11-13. — D leads 5 d, and A B score three by 
cards and game. 

Remark. — A played with good judgment. It is, in 
exceptional cases, better to give partner a strengthening 
card in his proclaimed suit, than to lead the trump he 
has asked for, and it is nearly always right to give 
partner a chance — as A did here — to clear up his hand, 
before answering his trump request. 



55° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Hand VITI. 

Fine Play fo?' the Odd Card. 
(Score: A B, 6; C D, 6. 2 h turned. A leader.) 







THE HANDS. 




s 
h 
c 
d 


a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


ace, 8, 6, 2 

k, 5- 4- 3 
qu, 4 
kn, io, 4 


kn, 4, 3 
ace, qu, io, 6 
k, kn, io 
7, 3. 2 


k, qu, 9 

8,7 

8, 7, 6, 2 

ace, k, qu, 9 


10, 7- 5 
kn, 9, 2 
ace, 9, 5, 3 
8, 6, 5 



Z7/£ Play. 



Trick i. 




B 








Trici 


c 2. 




B 








Mf 






0||* 


t 






















{■ 










4 






♦ * 
















C 


* 
* 








4 


D 


C 


O 









O 


D 






* 
* 




















He 


B, 1 
D,o 






[CI 


-|c 


B, 2 
D,o 




A 
Tr 


ic 




A 
Tr 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



551 



Trick 3. 




Tricks 



Trick 4. 



<> 


O 




0% 



A 
Tricks 



j AB >4 
1 C D,o 



Trick 4.— C reads that B has not strength in trumps ; 
as, with the spades and diamonds well in hand, B would 
have led trumps, even if only moderately strong in them. 



Trick 5. 



* * 

* * 



* * 



4 ♦ 



A 
Tricks 



(AB.5 
(CD,o 



Trick 6. 




Trick 6. — B is now marked with the 9 d, three small 
clubs, and at the most three trumps, most likely two 
trumps and one spade. 



552 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Trick 7. 






Trick 8. 



* A * 



A 
Tricks 



A B, 6 
C D, 1 






B 

4. * 



4> 4* 



A 



Tricks 



A B,6 
CD, 2 



Trick 7. — The situation is unique. A B have six 
tricks home, and A has the k of trumps three times 
guarded and yet against the best play he cannot make 
the single trick. C must have trumps come through A, 
as he (A) has, most likely, four trumps. 

Trick 8. — A leads the clubs which appear to be the 
best. If A leads the spade, C throws the 10 c, B trumps, 
D overtrumps with the 9, then leads the kn h and follows 
with the deuce, C wins with 10 h, and leads the kn c, 
which D wins and leads a club through A, and A B can- 
not make the needed trick. 



Trick 9. 



Trick 10. 




V 


"V 


<? 


<? 


s> 


<? 






<? <v> 



<? V 



\<y v 



D 



Tricks 



(A B, 
I C D, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



553 



Trick 9. — C's play of the 10 h is a very neat stroke, 
and is the only play to make the game. C reads that if 
the k, 9 are with A, or the 9 and one other with B, the 
game is gone. C does not play the 10 h to echo, but to 
avoid taking the 9 next led by D, for if D has not the 
9 no play will save the game. 



Trick ii. 



B 



o o 



■ <? 

2 9 



A 
Tricks 



(AB, 
(CD, 



Trick 12. 



* 

4. 4. 



Tricks 



A B,6 
C D,6 



Trick 13. — C makes the kn clubs, and C D score the 
odd card and game. 

Remark. — It not infrequently occurs that a player 
must play as though he saw the hands, as at double 
dummy. At trick 8, C and D saw the game was lost 
unless the trumps lay, just as they did lie, and they 
played as though they saw A's hand. If these cards 
were not with A, nothing was lost; if they were there, 
they took the only way to win. D winning his partner's 
trick (Trick 8) that he might lead though A, and C's 
play of the 10 h, that he might avoid taking the lead, 
were neat coups, and they forced a win when defeat 
seemed almost inevitable. 



554 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Hand IX. 

Throwing High Cards. 

(Score: AB,3;CD,4. 8s turned. C leader.) 

THE HANDS. 





a's hand. 


CS HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


qu, 8, 7, 6 


IO, 2 


ace, k, kn 


9. 5- 4. 3 


h 


k, qu, 2 


7,6,3 


kn, 10, 9, 8 


ace, 5, 4 


c 


kn, io, 6 


7, 3- 2 


ace, k, qu, 8 


9, 5-4 


d 


6, 4, 2 


ace, k, qu, 8, 7 


5-3 


kn, 10, 9 



The Play. 



Trick i. 



B 

















<> 


















A 
Tricks 



j A B, o 

|CD,i 



Trick 2. 





B 




























0<>0 



r 





























A 
Tricks 



D 



l C D, 2 



Trick 2. — C is marked with the k and two small d. 
D has the kn d or void. C notes that D's hand must be 
weak, as otherwise he would have most likely asked for 
trumps, for when C opened d with qu, D having the 10, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



555 



9 could read C with the tierce major, or k, qu and three 
(or more) small of the suit. 



Trick 3. 




Tricks j £ g, 1 



Trick 4. 



. * 



A 
Trices 



j AB, 
\ CD, 



Trick 3 — C has nothing better than to go on with the 
d. B takes the force, as A must have at least one more 
d, unless D is unblocking. 



Trick 5. 




Tricks 



j A B, 
I C D, 



Trick 6. 




Tricks 4-5. — B exacts two rounds of trumps to protect 
his club suit, besides he is justified in assuming that A 



556 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



has fair strength in hearts and trumps. A echoes and is 
marked with the qu, 8 or 9, 8 of trumps. 



Trick 7. 




TRICKS |cD,'2 



Trick 8. 




Tricks 



Trick 8. — The play of the qu h by A is a good one. 
He reads the 9, 5 of trumps with D, and prepares to 
avoid taking the lead at trick 11. The play of the deuce 
of h would have lost a trick. B is marked with the ace 
and a small club. He leads the kn of h from tierce to 
kn, to force at once the higher cards. 



Trick 9. 




Pricks 



Trick 10. 





B 


*\ 








*** 








9 <? 





















D 



A 
Tricks 



(AB,7 
|CD,3 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



557 



Trick 9. — B very properly wins the trick as he can 
read the situation. 

Trick 10. — B leads the thirteenth club, and A's play 
of the k h is in keeping with his play at trick 8. 



Trick ii. 




B 




% 




Trick 12. 




B 


m 














y 












D 


C 









|* * 




C 












* 


D 












* * 


1* * 












KS |c 


^ B, 8 

:d, 3 












A 
T] 


IIC 




A 

TpTr „ q i AB, 9 
Tricks | CD>3 



Trick 13. — A makes the qu s and A B score four by 
cards and game. 

Remark. — A's play of the qu and king of hearts (Tricks 
8 and 10) was very clever, and is the only point in the 
play. In such situations as this the player should get 
rid of any high card that will force him into the lead at 
trick eleven, even if he cannot read his partner with 
command of the suit, for the play cannot lose, and may 
gain a trick. 



558 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



Hand X. 

Holding Up and Underplay. 

(Score: A B, 5; C D, 6. 3d turned. C leader.) 

THE HANDS. 





A'S HAND. 


C*S HAND. 


b's hand. 


d's hand. 


s 


ace, k, 4, 2 




10,9, 7,3 


qu, kn, 8, 6, 5 


h 


qu, kn, 9, 8 


ace, 7,6,5,4,3.2 


k 


10 


1 c 


ace 


k, qu, kn 


10, 9, 8, 7, 5,4 


6, 3, 2 


d 


ace, 9, 4, 3 


k, qu, kn 


10, 5 


8, 7, 6, 2 



The Play. 



Trick i. 


Trick 2. 




B 






B 




^ 




m 




f* 














S? 






q? <? 


D 


C 















C 


^W" 






D 


































_o 




A 


A 


Tricks |cD,i 


Tricks-!^ 2- ° 
{ C D, 2 



Trick 1. — The fall is unusual. C reads that D is cal- 
ling and unblocking — holding the kn, 10, 9, 8. A's play 
of the qu deceives C, but the play is not false. 

Trick 2. — A does not object to having trumps come 
out, and refuses to take the k d. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



559 



Trick 3. 




B 








Trick 4. 




B 








^ 


oTo 

0<>0 

0<>0 








* * 






<m, 3 










D 


c 


omh 












C 














D 

























Ks l c d',° 3 
















A 
Te 


1C 




A 
Trikcs|AB ; i 



Trick 3. — A passes again. Holding ace, 9 — the 10 
falling from B, A reads that if C goes on with trumps he 
(A) can draw all the trumps, make his hearts, the ace and 
king of spades and the ace of c, thus assuring the game. 
D has shown but four trumps by his echo. 

Trick 4. — C goes on with trumps, as he is justified in 
reading D with the ace and one more, and giving D the 
remaining hearts, he trusts to make his own long hearts, 
having re-entry cards in clubs. 



Trick 5. 




B 








Trick 6. 




B 










* + 

* 

* 4 






*** 













0% 


D 


C 


9 






-fi"f : VV 




r. 














D 






0~0 


o v o 














\ 




















V 


A 
Te 


He 5: J 


V A 

rr ( A B, 2 

Tricks j CD>4 



Trick 6. — A, having sure re-entry cards, underplays, 



5 6 ° 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



or ralher finesses upon the lead. B has not great strength 
in clubs, as by his discard of 4, then 5, he shows some 
strength in spades. Had B here great strength in clubs 
he would have reversed the order of his discards. A 
would not lead the k of spades in any event, for, if B 
cannot win the first round for him, A cannot count on 
more than two tricks in the suit. The ace of c, the two 
tricks in s, and three h tricks give A the game, but in 
Long Whist every card is played for the best. 



Trick 7. 




B 








Trick 8. 




B 










4* 4* 
4* 

4. 4. 

4» + 






4. 4. 

* 
4. 4. 

4* 
+ + 






V-- 






* * 

* + 
4* + 


D 


C 








4* 
4- 




c 








\ 






n 






* 












V* 












A 
Tr 


He 5:3 


m 


A 

Tricks-] A^' 4 
I CD, 4 



Tricks 9-13. — A makes the ace and k of spades and 
the two tricks in hearts, and A B score two by cards and 
game. 

Remark. — A had a fine hand, and he played it well. 
It is often good play to refuse to stop the lead of trumps, 
when you have, as A had here, master cards to protect, 
that must make, if trumps come out. 

C's hand was exceptional, and would have justified 
exceptional play. Had C opened the fourth-best heart, 
a play that can be defended, even though the ace is at 
the head of seven in suit, he would have just saved the 
game against good play. The student will find material 
here for analysis, by opening the hand with the 5 h. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



56; 



Hand XI. 

Leading Up to a Double Tenace in Trumps. 
(Score: A B, 6; C D, o. 4 s turned. C leader.) 

THE HANDS. 



s 


a's hand. 


C'S HAND. 




b's hand. 


d's hand. 


ace, k, 9, 7, 4 


5-3 


2 


qu, kn, 10, 8,6 


h 




6 




a,k,q,7,s,4,3,2 


kn, 10, 9, 8 


c 


ace, k, 6, 3 


9. 8, 7. 5. 4 




10, 2 


qu, kn 


d 


7, 5- 4-2 


ace,k,qu, kn 


6 


9,8 


10, 3 



The Play. 



Trick i. 

~o~M 



, B 


0,0 








0, 






o\o 

0<>0 

o o 

o 



A 
Tricks 



A B,o 
C D, 1 



Trick 2. 






IS ! 






A 

Tricks 



j A B, 1 

(CD,i 



Trick 1. — C notes that unless A has five diamonds, B 
or D is calling. 

Trick 2. — The propriety of C's trump lead may be 



562 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



questioned. The conservative player might lead the 5 
of clubs, and defend the play upon the ground that D 
must have high cards in this suit, as C has five clubs, 
none higher than the 9, and that in the event of the trick 
going to the opponents, they must, in all probability, 
open the heart suit, which C can trump, and then, if the 
fall warrants, lead trumps. The fall of the cards to trick 
1, in conjunction with C's hand, render the position sus- 
ceptible of interesting and instructive analysis. C was 
justified in assuming that either B or D was calling. If 
B was calling the game was gone, in all probability. C 
argued that if D was not calling, he must have numerical 
strength, at least in hearts and trumps. If it was B who 
was calling, a trump led through might be of avail. To 
continue the diamonds would be injudicious for in the 
event of D calling, he can have but one d, and as he (C) 
has no re-entry card, he will not make his suit, unless 
after trumps are exhausted, D can lead a diamond. The 
score favored the forward game, and only the ultra con- 
servative player would have done other than C, in his 
situation. 



Trick 3. 


Trick 4. 


B 


B 








^ 


9 


















C 






<J> 


r^-y^ftM j 

















D 








C 














D 






♦ 




f/^l 












O O 










V A 


A 


Tricks] £ g, 1 


Tricks {£B,2 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



563 



Trick 3. — A's lead of the d seems the very best; A 
reads that D is probably calling, and that C has led 
trumps upon this assumption; if so, A, holding five 
trumps, offers B the chance of making a small trump if 
void of the suit, which is most likely, having played the 
8. Besides, if D is calling, he has but one more d, and 
A wishes to force its play that D may have no d to give 
C later on. A knows that the d must lose (if B cannot 
trump it) in any event, and by its immediate play he 
makes it lose somewhat to bis advantage. D completes 
the call. C shows k, qu and one small d remaining. 

Trick 4. — B shows h as his suit. A has not a h, and 
it is now his business to play, if possible, to force the 
opponents to eventually lead this suit. A can read D 
with the double tenace over him in trumps. 



Trick 5. 




Trick 6, 




Tricks 1 <-. t-» 

( C D, 2 



Trick 6. — The fall enables A to read the hands with 
unusual accuracy; B is all hearts; D must have the qu, 



5 6 4 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



8, 6 of s and four hearts; C the 9, 8, 7 c; k, qu, 6 d, and 
one heart. 



Trick 7. 



<? 


<? 


9? 


<P 


5L 


-5. 



B 

"9~ 









A 
Tricks 



JAB.4 
(CD, 3 



Trick 8. 



<r 


"0 















B 






A 



Tricks 



(AB, 

(CD, 



Trick 7. — A plays his hand with consummate skill. 
Throwing the lead at the proper moment is always a 
neat point, and here it is particularly effective. A must- 
throw the lead with D, and keep it there, even though 
he must lose three tricks in trumps to do it. Mark how 
accurately A has managed his hand. Note that the lead 
of the 4 s (Trick 7) would cost A three tricks, for if A had 
led the 4 s, D would have taken with the 8 s, then led 
the qu s, and then put A into the lead with the 6 s, and A 
could not take another trick. A has been exact to the 
very pip. Even the 7 was led in preference to the 9, as 
it offered D the triple opportunity to blunder, which the 
9 does not, for if D should take with the qu, and then 
lead the 8 or 6, or if with the 8, and then lead the 6, in 
each case he would lose a trick. 

Trick 8. — D must lead the qu s or lose a trick. A 
would have lost two tricks had he played the 4 s here. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



565 



Trick 9. 







S? 9 






A A 

* 
A A 

A A 














-4- 



A 



Tricks 



|AB, 4 
1CD >5 



Trick 10. 




Tricks 



Trick 9. — D is helpless; he must draw the trump or 
lose a trick. 

Tricks 11-13. — B makes the ace, qu of hearts, and D 
the kn h, and A B score the odd card and game. 

Remark. — C, by continuing the d, or opening the club 
suit (Trick 2), might have done better, but his play- 
would have succeeded except for A's fine play, and the 
very unusual distribution of the cards. 



566 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF WHIST LAWS. 

The laws governing the play of American Whist are 
based upon the following postulations: — 

1. The conduct of the American game should be gov- 
erned by a code based on Whist for Whist, apart from 
stakes. 

2. Infractions of whist laws and rules of table eti- 
quette are unintentional. 

3. No player takes advantage of information afforded 
by breaches of the law. 

4. The innocent cannot suffer loss, nor the offender 
gain advantage, from any misdemeanor — except in the 
case of the revoke. 

5. Whist laws should be framed with these objects in 
view, viz.: To define the general order of play, to pro- 
mote closer attention, and to maintain decorum. 

6. The penalty for the infraction of a law is not for 
the purpose of restitution for damages (except in the 
case of the revoke), but solely to stimulate precaution, 
and repress improprieties of play. 

7. All breaches of the law (except in the case of the 
revoke) are equally grave, and demand in equity a uni- 
form and fixed penalty. 

8. It is impossible to determine the effect of the en- 
forced play of a card, or a suit as a penalty. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 567 

9. Such penalties as the calling of cards and suits, the 
demand of the highest or lowest of a suit, or to trump or 
not to trump a trick, not only rob the score of its integ- 
rity as a test of skill, but they are incompatible with 
good whist, and render a code infeasible and unadapted 
to general application. 



568 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

THE LAWS OF AMERICAN WHIST. 

The Game. 

1. A game consists of seven points, or as many more 
as may be made by the hand in which seven is reached. 
Each trick above six counts one point. Each hand must 
be played out, and every trick taken must be scored. 

Forming the Table. 

2. Four persons out of any number, by agreement, or 
by cutting or drawing lower cards than the rest, form a 
table. These four may cut or draw for, or agree upon, 
partners. 

Cutting. 

3. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. All must 
cut from the same pack. If a player exposes more than 
one card, he must cut again. Drawing cards from the 
outspread pack may be resorted to in place of cutting. 

Shuffling. 

4. Before every deal, the cards must be shuffled. 
When two packs are used, the dealer's partner must col- 
lect and shuffle the cards for the ensuing deal and place 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 569 

them at his right hand. A pack must not be shuffled 
during the play of a hand, nor so as to expose the face 
of any card. In all cases the dealer may shuffle last. 

Cictting to the Dealer. 

5. The dealer must present the pack to his right hand 
adversary to be cut; the adversary must take a portion 
from the top of the pack and place it towards the dealer; 
at least four cards must be left in each packet; the dealer 
must reunite the packets by placing the one not removed 
in cutting upon the other. 

6. If, in cutting or reuniting the separate packets, a 
card is exposed, the pack must be reshuffled by the 
dealer and. cut again; if there is any confusion of the 
cards or doubt as to the place where the pack was sep- 
arated, there must be a new cut. 

7. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has been 
properly cut, he loses his deal. 

Dealing. 

8. When the pack has been properly cut and reunited, 
the dealer must distribute the cards, one at a time, to 
each player in regular rotation, beginning at his left. 
The last, which is the trump card, must be turned up at 
the right hand of the dealer. At the end of the hand, 
or when the deal is lost, the deal passes to the left. 

9. Any one dealing out of turn, or with his adver- 
saries' pack, may be stopped before the trump card is 
turned, after which, the deal is valid and the packs, if 
changed, so remain. 

10. There must be a new deal by the same dealer: — 

I. If any card except the last is faced in the 
pack. 



57° MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

II. If, during the deal or before all have played to 
the first trick, the pack is proved to con- 
sist of more or less than fifty-two cards, or 
if at any time during the play of the hand 
the pack is proved imperfect in the rank of 
the cards; but any prior score made with 
that pack shall stand. 



Misdealing. 

ii. It is a misdeal: — 

I. If the dealer omits to have the pack cut and 
his adversaries discover the error before 
the trump card is turned and before look- 
ing at any of their cards. 
II. If he deals a card incorrectly. 

III. If he exposes a card. 

IV. If he counts the cards on the table or in the 

remainder of the pack. 
V. If he looks at the face of any card before the 

deal is completed. 
VI. If he places the trump card face downwards 
upon his own or any other player's cards. 
VII. If, having a pack of exactly fifty-two cards, he 
does not deal to each player the proper 
number of cards and the error is discov- 
ered before all have played to the first 
trick. 
A misdeal loses the deal, unless, during the deal, 
either of the adversaries touches a card or in any other 
manner interrupts the dealer. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 57 1 

Irregularities in the Hands. 

12. If, at any time after all have played to the first 
trick, a player is found to have either more or less than 
his correct number of cards, his side cannot score in 
that hand. If his adversaries have their right number, 
they may score, if by tricks entitled to do so; in which 
case the surplus or missing card or cards are not taken 
into account. 

The Trump Card. 

13. The trump card must remain face upwards on the 
table at the right hand of the dealer until it is his turn to 
play the first trick, and must be taken into his hand 
before the second trick has been turned and quitted. 

Exposed Cards. 

14. The following are exposed cards: — 

I. Every card led or played out of turn. 
II. Every card thrown with the one led or played 
to the current trick. 

II I. A renounce in error corrected in time to save 

a revoke. 

IV. Every card faced upon the table otherwise 

than in the regular course of play. 
All exposed cards must be taken into the hand again. 

Miscellaneous. 

15. Each trick must be turned and quitted before the 
first card to the next trick is led. 

16. When a trick has been turned and quitted, it must 
not again be seen until after the hand has been played. 



572 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

17. If any player gathers a trick that does not belong 
to his side, the opposing side may inform him of his 
error, and the offender is amenable to law 21. 

18. Any player during the play, may ask what the 
trump suit is, and suffer the penalty of law 21, and the 
question must be answered by simply naming the trump 
suit. 

T9. Any one, during the play of a trick and before 
the cards have been touched for the purpose of gathering 
them together, may demand that the players draw their 
cards, and the side making the demand must suffer the 
penalty of law 21. 

20. All conversation must cease when the first card is 
thrown, and silence must continue until the last card of 
the hand is played. 

21. The penalty for the infringement of laws 13 to 20 
inclusive, is the addition of one point, for each offense, 
to the score of the claimants. 

Revoking. 

22. A revoke is a renounce in error not corrected in 
time. A player renounces in error, when, holding one or 
more cards of the suit led, he plays a card of a different 
suit. 

A renounce in error may be corrected by the player 
making it, before the trick in which it occurs has been 
turned and quitted, unless either he or his partner, 
whether in his right turn or otherwise, has led or played 
to the following trick. 

If a player corrects his mistake in time to save a 
revoke, any player or players who have played after him 
may withdraw their cards and substitute others; the 
cards so withdrawn are not subject to any penalty. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST 573 

23. The penalty for revoking is the transfer of two 
tricks from the revoking side to their adversaries; it can 
be enforced for as many revokes as occur during the 
hand. No score that wins the game can be made by the 
revoking side ; they can, nevertheless, score all points 
made by them up to the score of six. 

24. At the end of a hand, the claimants of a revoke 
may search all the tricks. If the cards have been mixed, 
the claim may be urged and proved, if possible; but no 
proof is necessary and the revoke is established, if, after 
it has been claimed, the accused player or his partner 
mixes the cards before they have been examined to the 
satisfaction of the adversaries. 

Penalties. 

25. A penalty must not be claimed during the play of 
a hand, but must be claimed before the cards have been 
presented and cut for the following deal. 

Scoring. 

26. The score for each hand must be announced before 
the cards have been presented and cut for the next deal, 
but not thereafter. A score by cards takes precedence of 
a score by penalty. 



574 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 
THE LAWS OF WHIST, 

AS REVISED AND ADOPTED AT THE 

THIRD AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS. 
Chicago, June 20-24, J 893. 

THE GAME. 

i. A game consists of seven points, each trick above six 
counting one. The value of the game is determined by de- 
ducting the losers' score from seven. 

FORMING THE TABLE. 

2. Those first in the room have the preference. If, by- 
reason of two or more arriving at the same time, more than 
four assemble, the preference among the last comers is deter- 
mined by cutting, a lower cut giving the preference over all 
cutting higher. A complete table consists of six; the four 
having the preference play. Partners are determined by cut- 
ting ; the highest two play against the lowest two ; the lowest 
deals and has the choice of seats and cards, 

3. If two players cut intermediate cards of equal value, they 
cut again ; the lower of the new cut plays with the original 
lowest. 

4. If three players cut cards of equal value, they cut again. 
If the fourth has cut the highest card, the lowest two of the 
new cut are partners and the lowest deals. If the fourth has 
cut the lowest card, he deals and the highest two of the new 
cut are partners. 

5. At the end of a game, if there are more than four belong- 
ing to the table, a sufficient number of the players retire to 
admit those awaiting their turn to play. In determining which 
players remain in, those who have played a less number of 
consecutive games have the preference over all who have 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 575 

played a greater number ; between two or more who have 
played an equal number, the preference is determined by cut- 
ting - , a lower cut giving the preference over all cutting higher. 

6. To entitle one to enter a table, he must declare his inten- 
tion to do so before any one of the players has cut for the 
purpose of commencing a new game or of cutting out. 

CUTTING. 

7. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. All must cut 
from the same pack. If a player exposes more than one card, 
he must cut again. Drawing cards from the outspread pack 
may be resorted to in place of cutting. 

SHUFFLING. 

8. Before every deal, the cards must be shuffled. When two 
packs are used, the dealer's partner must collect and shuffle 
the cards for the ensuing deal and place them at his right 
hand. In all cases the dealer may shuffle last. 

9. A pack must not be shuffled during the play of a hand, 
nor so as to expose the face of any card. 

CUTTING TO THE DEALER. 

10. The dealer must present the pack to his right hand 
adversary to be cut ; the adversary must take a portion from 
the top of the pack and place it towards the dealer ; at least 
four cards must be left in each packet; the dealer must reunite 
the packets by placing the one not removed in cutting upon the 
other. 

11. If, in cutting or in reuniting the separate packets, a card 
is exposed, the pack must be reshuffled by the dealer and cut 
again ; if there is any confusion of the cards or doubt as to the 
place where the pack was separated, there must be a new cut. 

12. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has been prop- 
erly cut, he loses his deal. 

DEALING. 

13. When the pack has been properly cut and reunited, the 
dealer must distribute the cards, one at a time, to each player 
in regular rotation, beginning at his left. The last, which is 
the trump card, must be turned up before the dealer. At the 



57^ MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

end of the hand or when the deal is lost, the deal passes to the 
player next to the dealer on his left, and so on to each in turn. 

14. There must be a new deal by the same dealer: — 

I. If any card except the last is faced in the pack. 

II. If, during the deal or during the play of the hand, the 
pack is proved incorrect or imperfect ; but any prior score 
made with that pack shall stand. 

15. If, during the deal, a card is exposed, the side not in 
fault may demand a new deal, provided neither of that side has 
touched a card. If a new deal does not take place, the ex- 
posed card is not liable to be called. 

16. Any one dealing out of turn or with his adversaries' pack 
may be stopped before the trump card is turned, after which, 
the deal is valid and the packs, if changed, so remain. 

MISDEALING. 

17. It is a misdeal : — 

I. If the dealer omits to havethe pack cut and his adversar- 
ies discover the error before the trump card is turned and 
before looking at any of their cards. 

II. If he deals a card incorrectly and fails to correct the 
error before dealing another. 

III. If he counts the cards on the table or in the remainder 
of the pack. 

IV. If, having a perfect pack, he does not deal to each player 
the proper number of cards, and the error is discovered before 
all have played to the first trick. 

v. If he looks at the trump card before the deal is completed. 

vi. If he places the trump card face downwards upon his 
own or any other player's cards. 

A misdeal loses the deal, unless, during the deal, either of 
the adversaries touches a card or in any other manner inter- 
rupts the dealer. 

THE TRUMP CARD. 

18. The dealer must leave the trump card face upwards on 
the table until it is his turn to play to the first trick; if it is 
left on the table until after the second trick has been turned 
and quitted, it is liable to be called. After it has been lawfully 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 577 

taken up, it must not be named, and any player naming it is 

liable to have his highest or his lowest trump called by either 

adversary. A player may, however, ask what the trump suit is. 

IRREGULARITIES IN THE HANDS. 

19. If, at any time after all have played to the first trick, the 
pack being perfect, a player is found to have either more or 
less than his correct number of cards, and his adversaries have 
their right number, the latter, upon the discovery of such sur- 
plus or deficiency, may consult and shall have the choice : — 

I. To have a new deal ; or 

II. To have the hand played out, in which case the surplus 
or missing card or cards are not taken into account. 

If either of the adversaries also has more or less than his 
correct number, there must be a new deal. 

If any player has a surplus card by reason of an omission to 
play to a trick, his adversaries can exercise the foregoing privi- 
lege only after he has played to the trick following the one in 
which such omission occurred. 

CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED. 

20. The following cards are liable to be called by either ad- 
versary : — 

I. Every card faced upon the table otherwise than in the 
regular course of play, but not including a card led out of turn. 

II. Every card thrown with the one led or played to the cur- 
rent trick. The player must indicate the one led or played. 

III. Every card so held by a player that his partner sees any 
portion of its face. 

IV. All the cards in a hand lowered or shown by a player so 
that his partner sees more than one card of it. 

v. Every card named by the player holding it. 

21. All cards liable to be called must be placed and left face 
upward on the table. A player must lead or play them when 
they are called, provided he can do so without revoking. The 
call may be repeated at each trick until the card is played. 
A player cannot be prevented from leading or playing a card 
liable to be called ; if he can get rid of it in the course of play, 
no penalty remains. 



578 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

22. If a player leads a card better than any his adversaries 
hold of the suit, and then leads one or more other cards with- 
out waiting for his partner to play, the latter may be called 
upon by either adversary to take the first trick, and the other 
cards thus improperly played are liable to be called ; it makes 
no difference whether he plays them one after the other, or 
throws them all on the table together, after the first card is 
played, the others are liable to be called. 

23. A player having a card liable to be called must not play 
another until the adversaries have stated whether or not they 
wish to call the card liable to the penalty. If he plays another 
card without awaiting the decision of the adversaries, such 
other card also is liable to be called. 

LEADING OUT OF TURN. 

24. If any player leads out of turn, a suit may be called from 
him or his partner, the first time it is the turn of either of them 
to lead. The penalty can be enforced only by the adversary 
on the right of the player from whom a suit can lawfully be 
called. 

If a player, so called on to lead a suit, has none of it, or if all 
have played to the false lead, no penalty can be enforced. If 
all have not played to the trick, the cards erroneously played 
to such false lead are not liable to be called and must be taken 
back. 

PLAYING OUT OF TURN. 

25. If the third hand plays before the second, the fourth 
hand also may play before the second. 

26. If the third hand has not played, and the fourth hand 
plays before the second, the latter may be called upon by the 
third hand to play his highest or lowest card of the suit led or, 
if he has none, to trump or not to trump the trick. 

ABANDONED HANDS. 

27. If all four players throw their cards on the table, face 
upwards, no further play of that hand is permitted. The 
result of the hand, as then claimed or admitted, is established, 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 



57 9 



provided that, if a revoke is discovered, the revoke penalty 
attaches. 

REVOKING. 

28. A revoke is a renounce in error not corrected in time. 
A player renounces in error, when, holding one or more cards 
of the'suit led, he plays a card of a different suit. 

A renounce in error may be corrected by the player making 
it, before the trick in which it occurs has been turned and 
quitted, unless either he or his partner, whether in his right 
turn or otherwise, has led or played to the following trick, or 
unless his partner has asked whether or not he has any of the 
suit renounced. 

29. If a player corrects his mistake in time to save a revoke, 
the card improperly played by him is liable to be called ; any 
player or players, who have played after him, may withdraw 
their cards and substitute others; the cards so withdrawn are 
not liable to be called. 

30. The penalty for revoking is the transfer of two tricks 
from the revoking side to their adversaries ; it can be enforced 
for as many revokes as occur during the hand. The revoking 
side cannot win the game in that hand ; if both sides revoke, 
neither can win the game in that hand. 

31. The revoking player and his partner may require the 
hand, in which the revoke has been made, to be played out, 
and score all points made by them up to the score of six. 

32. At the end of a hand, the claimants of a revoke may 
search all the tricks. If the cards have been mixed, the claim 
may be urged and proved, if possible ; but no proof is necessary 
and the revoke is established, if, after it has been claimed, the 
accused player or his partner mixes the cards before they have 
been examined to the satisfaction of the adversaries. 

33. The revoke can be claimed at any time before the cards 
have been presented and cut for the following deal, but not 
thereafter. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

34. Any one, during the play of a trick and before the cards 



580 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

have been touched for the purpose of gathering them together, 
may demand that the players draw their cards. 

35. If any one, prior to his partner playing, calls attention in 
any manner to the trick or to the score, the adversary last to 
play to the trick may require the offender's partner to play his 
highest or lowest of the suit led or, if he has none, to trump or 
not to trump the trick. 

36. If any player says " I can win the rest," " The rest are 
ours," "We have the game," or words to that effect, his part- 
ner's cards must be laid upon the table and are liable to be 
called. 

37. When a trick has been turned and quitted, it must not 
again be seen until after the hand has been played. A viola- 
tion of this law subjects the offender's side to the same penalty 
as in case of a lead out of turn. 

38. If a player is lawfully called upon to play the highest or 
lowest of a suit, or to trump or not to trump a trick, or to lead 
a suit, and unnecessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the 
same penalty as if he had revoked. 

39. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the of- 
fender must await the decision of the adversaries. If either of 
them, with or without his partner's consent, demands a penalty, 
to which they are entitled, such decision is final. If the wrong 
adversary demands a penalty or a wrong penalty is demanded, 
none can be enforced. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 581 



CHAPTER XXXII. 
THE ETIQUETTE OF WHIST, 

AS ADOPTED BY THE 

THIRD AMERICAN WHIST CONGRESS, 
Chicago, June 20-24, 1893. 

The following rules belong to the established code 
of whist etiquette. They are formulated with a view 
to discourage and repress certain improprieties of 
conduct, therein pointed out, which are not reached 
by the laws. The courtesy which marks the inter- 
course of gentlemen will regulate other more obvious 
cases. 

I. No conversation should be indulged in during the play 
except such as is allowed by the laws of the game. 

II. No player should in any manner whatsoever give any in- 
timation as to the state of his hand or of the game, or of approval 
or disapproval of a play. 

III. No player should lead until the preceding trick is turned 
and quitted. 

IV. No player should, after having led a winning card, draw 
a card from his hand for another lead until his partner has 
played to the current trick. 

v. No player should play a card in any manner so as to call 
particular attention to it, nor should he demand that the cards 
be placed in order to attract the attention of his partner. 

VI. No player should purposely incur a penalty because he 
is willing to pay it, nor should he make a second revoke in 
order to conceal one previously made. 



582 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

VII. No player should take advantage of information im- 
parted by his partner through a breach of etiquette. 

VIII. No player should object to referring a disputed question 
of fact to a bystander who professes himself uninterested in the 
result of the game and able to decide the question. 

IX. Bystanders should not in any manner call attention to or 
give any intimation concerning the play or the state of the 
game, during the play of a hand. They should not look over 
the hand of a player without his permission ; nor should they 
walk around the table to look at the different hands. 



INDEX. 

{Page-numbers of casual references, giving comparatively little 
information, in brackets?) 



Abbreviations, 17. 

Ace combinations, leads of, 63, 64. 

Ace, leads of, 19, 20. 

king combination, leads of, 61. 

queen, knave combination, leads of, 62. 

then king, leads of, illustrated, 440, et sea. 

then queen, leads of, illustrated, 442. 

then knave, leads of, illustrated, 443. 

then 10, leads of, illustrated, 444. 

then 9, leads of, illustrated, 445. 

then original fourth-best, analysis of, 43, et sea. 

then fourth-best, showing advantages due to unblock- 
ing- 45- 

then fourth-best, showing command and numerical 
strength, 43. 

then fourth-best, protection, features of, 44. 

then fourth-best, disadvantages of, illustrated, 46, 47. 

then low, 42. 
American Leads, three cardinal principles of, 28, 29. 

first maxim, analysis of, 29, et seq. 

second maxim, 33. 

second maxim, analysis of, 37, et seq. 

second maxim, combinations not subject to, 33, 34. 

second maxim, application of, 33. 

third maxim of, 53. 

third maxim, analysis of, 54, et seq. 

third maxim, play of, illustrated, [449]. 



584 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

American Leads, third maxim, combinations where the maxim 
applies, 53, 54. 

third maxim, combinations that do not come under ap- 
plication of, 57. 
Call, the, 267, et seq. 

abandonment of, 182. 

anticipating a, 244, 313, 314, 539. 

asking partner to go on with trumps, 271, 272. 

any player, including original leader may, 276. 

use and abuse of, 267, 268. 

and echo, illustrated, 277, 278. 

answer with ace, if held, irrespective of number, 281, 
et seq. 

and echo completed in the play of five cards, 278, 279. 

beginners prone to abuse, 275, 276. 

covering, second hand, not a, 144. 

in conjunction with unblocking, 182, 183. 

interferes with best play, [169]. 

great care should be exercised, 271. 

good play often mistaken for a, 276. 

made by discard of an 8 or higher card, 268, et seq. 

refusal to, holding seven trumps, 537. 

refusing to answer, 271, 547. 

reference to, [102, 103, 144, 145, 146]. 

rare use of, in simplest form, 259. 

reason why not respected as formerly, 274, et seq. 

repeating a, 273, 274. 

single-card call by discard, [278], 547. 

single discard call, most effective, 268, et seq. 

strength that should support a, 281. 

third hand, 10 led, 208. 

trump signaling, second hand, dangerous, 275. 
Calling, various methods of, 268, et seq. 

and unblocking, illustrated, 447 ; cited, [442]. 

third hand, in conjunction with unblocking, 167. 
Changing suits, 395, 396. 
Combination of forces the beauty of the game, 416. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 585 

Command of opponents' suit, keeping, 490. 

Conventional play, value of, 419, 420. 

Counting the hands, 439, et seq. 

Coup, the grand, illustrated, 496. 

Coups, Deschapelles, referred to, [154] ; illustrated, 495. 

Critical endings, 455, et seq. 

Deuce, lead of, 28. 

lead of, illustrated, 453. 
Deschapelles coup, 495. 
Discard, the, 359, et seq. 

a singleton ace, when to, 368, 

conventional, dual purpose of, 362. 

echo of strength, 366. 

giving partner a, 547. 

getting rid of command by, 373. 

injudicious to show utter weakness by, 372. 

leading to the, 374, et seq. 

leading to adversaries', 375. 

leading to partner's, 374, 375. 

means of getting rid of command, cited, [177]. 

original, 359, et seq. 

of middle card, unblocking by, 182. 

putting opponents to the, 459. 

showing strength by echo, 331. 

unblocking by, 368, et seq. 

when best to stick to one suit, 362, 363. 

when and when not to publish strength or weakness by, 

372, 373- 

when trump strength is declared, how to, 359, 360. 
Discards, dangerous, singleton, etc., 362. 
Discarding a trump, 364, et seq., 505, 506. 

a high card of a suit not yet in play, danger of, 372. 

from best protected suit, illustrated, 540. 

from partner's great suit, danger of, 363, 364. 

general hints on. 369, et seq. 

injudicious, 520, 521. 
Duplicate whist, 432, et seq. 



586 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Duplicate whist as a test of skill, 433. 
Echo, the, 277, et seq. 

after force, exceptional holdings, 291. 

after force, offers calling hand two lines of play, 288. 

after force, summary of play, 291. 

anticipating, 314, 315. 

how to show any number of trumps, 279. 

illustrated, 555. 

plain suit led, to show a master card, 330, et seq. 

plain suit echo, 330, et seq. 

showing best suit by, 331, et seq. 

(Sub-), cited, [272]. 

table, high cards in sequence, 294. 

the sub-echo, 305, et seq. 

value of immediate declaration of four trumps, 288. 

when not to, 314. 
Echoing, by aid of trump turned, 300, 301. 

by manner of taking a force, 279, et seq. 

by play in plain suit, 292. 

exceptional holding, 302, 303. 

great strength by forcing the calling hand, 314. 

holding ace, king and two small, 296, 297. 

holding high and low trumps, 301, et seq. 

holding quart major, etc., 297, 298. 

importance of noting the fall, 303, et seq. 

play modified by trump card turned, 292. 

play to partner's trump lead, 292, et seq. 

to partner's negative declaration of strength, 314. 

value of negative influence, 305. 

with high cards in sequence, 293, et seq. 

when not forced, 291, et seq. 
Eight, leads of, 24, et seq. 

leads of, illustrated, 451. 
Eleven rule, Foster's, 427, 428. 
Ending 1 — Winning partner's trick, 456. 
2 — Trumping partner's trick, 457. 
3 — Putting partner in by leading your last trump, 458. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 587 

Ending 4 — Putting opponent to the discard, 459. 

5 — Leading thirteenth trump to force a discard, 460, 
461. 

6 — Leading thirteenth trump to gain information, 461. 

7 — Trumping a thirteener, 462, 

8 — Passing a thirteener, 463. 

9 — Passing a thirteener to preserve a tenace, 464. 
10 — Trumping a thirteener to make partner's tenace, 

465. 
1 1 — Refusing to overtrump, 466, 467. 
12 — Overtrumping, 467. 
13 — Refusing to trump a sure trick, 468. 
14 — Refusing to draw the losing trump, 469, 470. 
15 — Leading the losing trump, 470, 471. 
16 — Leading a losing card to place the lead, 471, 472. 
17— Throwing high cards to avoid the lead, 472, 473. 
18 — Taking the eleventh trick, 473, 474. 
19, — Trumping partner's trick at trick eleven, 474. 
20 — Making it easy for partner, 475. 
21 — Making it easy and sure, 476. 
22 — Underplay by leader, 477. 
23 — Underplay to place the lead, 478. 
24 — Holding up and underplay, 479. 
25 — Taking the force with a high trump, etc., 480. 
26 — Unblocking late in hand, etc., 481. 
27 — Unblocking, 482. 
28 — Unblocking discard, 483. 
29 — Giving partner certain cards, etc., 484. 
30 — Throwing the lead, 485, 486. 
31 — Taking the lead from partner, 487. 
32 — Clearing up partner's suit, 488, 489. 
33 — Keeping command of opponents' suit, 490. 
34 — Forcing adversary to clear up your suit, 491. 
35 — Leading up to a double tenace in trumps, 492. 
36 — Forcing the opponent to play a coup, 493. 
37 — The Deschapelles coup, 495. 
38 — The grand coup, 496. 



588 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Ending 39 — Grand coup, and throwing high cards, 497. 

40 — Taking partner's trick to force the last trump, 498. 

41 — Refusing to play thirteenth trump, etc., 500. 

42 — Keep more than one card of partner's suit, etc., 501. 

43 — Leading the lowest of two cards, etc., 502. 

44 — Finesse, 503. 

45 — Avoid making adversary's minor tenace a major, 

504. 
46 — Discarding a trump, 505, 
47 — A typical case of throwing high cards, 506. 
48 — Forcing the opponent, 507. 

49 — Playing as though a suit could go but once, 508. 
50 — Showing hand by discard and unblocking, 509. 
51 — Giving partner a chance to overtrump, 510. 
52 — Preventing opponents from making trumps sepa- 
rately, 511. 
53 — Making your trumps separately, 512. 
54 — Refusing to lead a thirteener, 513. 
55 — Taking the only chance, 514. 
56 — Playing as at double dummy, 515. 
57 — Double dummy, No. 2, 516. 
58 — Overtrumping partner, 517. 
59 — Sticking to rule, 518, 
60 — Trumping with the middle card, 519. 
61 — Injudicious discarding, 520. 
62 — Discarding, No. 2, 521. 
Etiquette of whist, 581. 
Example hands, 84, et seq. 
Exceptional hands, second hand, play of, 148. 
False cards, 422, et seq., cited, [316]. 
Finesse, 335, et seq. 

against one card, low card led, 342. 

by trial, 347, et seq. 

cited, [204, 254, 429, 503]. 

following up a, [338], 402, 403, 549. 

holding up, fourth hand, 241, et seq. 

incumbent upon A to follow up B's successful, 321, 322. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 589 

Finesse, in partner's suit to be avoided, 342. 

in trumps, comments on, 258, 259. 

in trumps, illustrated, 255, et seq. 

in trumps, suggested by tiump card turned, 321, et seq. 

king, knave, third hand, 341. 

king, ten, third hand. 341, 342. 

may at times be deep and persistent, 349. 

not confined to high cards, 343. 

not to be considered per se, 335, 336. 

obligatory, 344, et seq. 

on partner, 350, 351. 

proper, ace, queen, third hand, 336, 337. 

rarely justified from a one- suit standpoint, 340. 

second hand, cited, [100, 101, 107, 108, 109, 117, 149]. 

strength in trumps, justification for, 348. 

the return, 349 350. 

third hand, ace, knave, 338, et seq. 

third hand, holding ace, queen only, does not, 337. 
.third hand, play for early establishment of leader's suit, 
338. 

third hand, when lead is from weakness, 342, et seq. 

underplay, merit of, [245]. 

when not to, in trumps, 259. 

when not to make the major tenace, 338. 
First hand, 18, et seq. 
Fourth-best, analysis of, 24, et seq. 

leads, possible combinations of, 27. 
Fourth hand, play of, 240, et seq. 

finesse and strategy of, illustrated, 241. 

holding up, keen perception necessary, 244, 245. 
Forced leads, 76, et seq. 

of the 8, detection of, 25, et seq., [101]. 

reference to, 157, 158. 

trumps, 525. 
Forced by partner, 384, 385. 

by the adversary, 384. 
Force, how to take a, and afterward lead trumps, 315, et seq. 



59° MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Force, how to take a, holding more than four trumps, 318, 319. 
Forcing, 378, et seq. 

general rules of, 379, et seq. 

general rules not always applicable, 383, 384. 

partner, 379, et seq. 

the adversary, 385, 386, 507. 
Fundamental principles of whist laws, 566. 
Hands, illustrated, 523. 

I. A neat play for the odd, 524. 
II. A critical ending, 527. 

III. Compelling the opponent to play a coup, etc., 532. 

IV. Departing from rule, 536. 
V. Anticipating a call, 539. 

VI. Holding up, 543. 
VII. Refusing to answer the call, 547. 
VIII. Fine play for the odd card, 550. 
IX. Throwing high cards, 554. 
X. Holding up and underplay, 558. 
XI. Leading up to a double tenace in trumps, 561. 
Hands, example, 85, et seq. 

exceptional, 90, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97. 
High card led, followed by high card, 53. 
High card led, followed by low card, 33. 
Holding up, illustrated, 241, et seq., 543, 544, 558. 
Inferences, 82, et seq. 

Inference Tables — high-card leads, 83, 84. 
Irregular leads and play, 424, 426. 
Irregular original leads, 75, j6. 
samples of, 90, 92, 95, 96. 
Irregular play, departing from rule, 421, 422. 
justification for, [98, 99, 151, 152]. 
illustrated, 508. 
King, knave, ten combination, leads of, 66, 67. 
lead of, then low, 34. 
old lead of, abandoned, 20, 21. 
queen combination, leads of, 66. 
then small, leads of, illustrated, 446. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 591 

King, two leads of, 20. 

Knave, leads of, 21 ; illustrated, 448. 

lead (trumps) from head of sequence, 69. 

old lead of, abandoned, 22. 
Laws of American whist, the, 568. 
Laws of whist, 574. 
Leads, ace, two of, 19, 20. 

ace, then king, illustrated, 440, et seq. 

ace, then queen, illustrated, 442. 

ace, then knave, illustrated, 443. 

ace, then 10, illustrated, 444. 

ace, then 9, illustrated, 445, 

king, two of, 20, 

king, then low, 34, 446. 

queen, three of, 21. 

queen, then ace, illustrated, 447. 

knave, 21 ; illustrated, 448. 

10, 22 ; illustrated, 449. 

9, 23 ; illustrated, 450. 

8, 24, et seq.; illustrated, 451. 

7, illustrated, 452. 

6, illustrated, 453. 

2, illustrated, 453. 

forced, j6, ct seq. 

irregular, 75, 76. 

original, analysis of, 58, et seq. 

special trump, 74. 

suits headed by the ace, 58, et seq. 

suits headed by the king, 65, et seq. 

suits headed by the queen, 67, 68. 

suits headed by the knave, 68, 69. 

trump, 70, et seq. 

table of high- card, 23. 

table of seven, 28. 

table of trump, 73. 
Leading from weak suits to save the game, 426, 427. 

the adversaries' suit, 387, 388. 



59 2 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Leading through the strong hand, 376, 389, et seq. 
Listless play — to be avoided, 428. 
Losing cards, value of, 388. 

trump, refusal to draw, 469. 
Mannerisms, 417, et seq. 
Nine, leads of, 23; illustrated, 450. 
Original lead, comment on, 98, 99. 
Overtrump, refusal to, 466, et seq. 
Overtrumping, 324, et seq. 

partner, 517. 
Pertinent axioms, 434, et seq, 
Proficiency, how to be obtained, 429, et seq. 
Queen, leads of, 21. 

leads of, then low, 36. 

then ace, leads of, illustrated, 447. 

then low, fourth-best no protection, 41, 42. 

then original fourth-best, may lose a trick, 39, 40. 

then original fifth-best, analysis of, 36, et seq., 189 
Quart major combination, leads of, 59. 

to king combination, leads of, 65. 

to knave combination, leads of, 68, 69. 

to queen combination, leads of, 67. 
Re-entry cards, 425, 426. 

when to retain, 533. 
Return, the, 397, et seq. 

departing from rule, 404, 405. 

of the master card, 399. 

of the master card, when not to, 403, 404. 

of the second-best, 401. 

the higher of two cards, 397, 398. 

the highest of three cards, when to, 400. 

the lowest of three, 398. 

of the 9 (10 led), holding three of the suit, 204. 
Ruffing, doubtful card, comments on, 156, 157. 
Rule versus reason, 420, et seq. 
Second hand, 100, et seq. 

analysis of play in detail, 107, et seq. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 593 

Second hand alert for forced leads, 154. 

covering, not a call, 144. 

covering, play informatory, 115. 

finesse, [100, 101]. 

a judicious cover, 545. 

exceptional play of, [107], 148, 149. 

exception to lowest card, 102, et seq. 

play of, ace, then 9 led, 445. 

play of, ace, king and small, 108. 

play of, king, queen and small, 108. 

play of, queen, knave and small, 108. 

play of, holding court card and one small, 109, no. 

play of, holding kn. 10, or 10, 9 and one small, 109. 

play of, lowest card, ioo. 

play of, modified by rank of card led, 154. 

play of, 8 led., no, et seq. 

play of, 7 led, 114, et seq. 

play of, 6 led, 145, 146. 

play of, second round of a suit, 149, et seq. 

play of (trump), affected by card turned, 146. 

play of, when lead is forced, 157, et seq. 

renouncing, 156, 157. 

tables of play, 7 led, 143, 144. 

table of play, 8 led, 114. 

table of play, suits headed by ace, 104. 

table of play, suits headed by king, 105. 

table of play, suits headed by queen, kn, 10 or 9, 106. 

table of play, forced leads, 158. 

throwing high cards, 155. 

trumping, critical play, 156. 
Seven, lead of, illustrated, 452. 
Silence and good whist inseparable, 419. 
Six, lead of, illustrated, 453. 
Special topics, 416, et seq. 
Strengthening card, lead of, illustrated, 524. 

in preference to answering call, 548. 
Sub-echo, the, 305, et seq. 



594 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Sub-echo, value of negative inference, 309, 310. 

Sub-echoing in plain suits, 309. 

Suit echo, the, 330, et seq.: cited, [376]. 

Table, diagram of, position and designation of players, 17. 

(echo after force), combinations favorable to lead of 
highest, 290. 

(echo after force), combinations unfavorable to lead of 
highest, 289. 

(echo after force), combinations favorable to lead of 
lowest, 290. 

(echo), high cards in sequence, 294. 

of inferences, Nos. 1, 2, 83, 84. 

of leads, 8 leads, 25. 

of leads, 7 leads, 28. 

of leads, ace, then low ; queen, then low, 35. 

of leads, basis of high-card leads, 23. 

of leads, not under application of third maxim, 57. 

of leads, high card followed by high card, 70. 

of leads, special, trump leads, 74. 

of leads, trump, 73. 

of play, second hand, suits headed by ace, 104, 

of play, second hand, suits headed by king, 105. 

of play, second hand, suits headed by queen, kn, 10 
or 9, 106. 

of play, second hand, 8 led, 114. 

of play, second hand, 7 led, 143, 144. 

of play, forced leads, 158. 

of play, third hand, 8 led, 215. 

of play, third hand, 7 led, 218. 

of play, third hand, 6 led, 222. 
Technical terms, 11, et seq. 
Ten, lead of, 22 ; illustrated, 449. 

then low, 47, et seq. 

then original fourth-best, advantages of, 48, et seq. 
Theory of modern scientific whist, 18. 
Third hand, 160, et seq. 

abandoning call for unblocking tactics, 182. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 595 

Third hand, abandoning unblocking tactics, play not a call, 167. 
danger of calling and unblocking, ace led, 169. 
getting rid of command, 179, 180. 
low card led originally, 226, et seq. 
not calling if 9 led originally wins, 213. 
not calling if 10 led originally wins, 208. 
passing the 8 led, 215, et seq. 
passing the 7 led, 219, et seq. 
passing the 6 led, 220, et seq. 

play directed by card played second hand, 224, et seq. 
play modified by rank of fourth-best, 213, et seq. 
play of, 10 led, 203, et seq. 

play of, 10 led, holding queen and two small, 206. 
play of, 9 led, 208, et seq. 
play of, 8 led, 213, et seq. 
play of, 7 led, 217, et seq. 
play of, 6 led, 220, et seq. 
play of, ace led, 170, et seq. 
play of, ace led, abandonment of call, 169. 
play of, ace led, followed by 9, 178. 
play of, holding ace and two small, queen led, 191, et seq. 
play of, holding ace and one small, queen led, 193. 
play of, holding ace knave only, king led, 183. 
play of, holding ace queen only, 337, 338. 
play of, holding ace, queen and one or more, 10 led, 203. 
play of, holding exactly four cards, 162, et seq. 
play of, in trumps, 238. 
play of, king led, 183, et seq. 
play of, knave led, 197, et seq. 

play of, knave led, holding ace and others, 197, 198. 
play of, low card led, 214. 
play of, queen led, 185, et seq. 
play of, queen led, when void, 195. 
play of, when ace then small is led, 179. 
play of, when ace then king is led, 173, 174. 
play of, when ace then knave is led, 176, 177. 
play of, when ace then queen is led, 174, et seq. 



59^ MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Third hand, play of, when ace then 10 is led, 177, 178. 

play of, when partner is not original leader, 237, et seq. 
play of, when void of suit, 9 led originally, 213. 
play of, when void of suit, 10 led originally, 208. 
play of, when void of suit, knave led originally, 200. 
play of, queen led, subject to the play of secondhand, 191. 
rarely forced to abandon unblocking tactics, knave 

led, 201, 
return of 9, holding g, 8 and small, 10 led, 204. 
return of the highest of three, 180. 
summary of play, 235, et seq. 
unblocking game, 160, et seq. 
unblocking and subsequent discard, 182. 
unblocking and subsequent return, 180. 
unblocking and calling, 167. 
unblocking first round, 160, et seq. 
unblocking play, object of, 164. 
unblocking, possibility of loss, ace led, 170, et seq. 
unblocking, possibility of loss, modes of avoiding, 172, 

173- 

unblocking, third round, low card led, 234. 

when to abandon call or unblocking, queen led, 196. 
Thirteener, passing a, 463. 

trumping a, 462, 465. 
Thirteenth, the, 412, et seq. 

lead of, object of, 414, 415, 

lead of, to force a discard, 460, 461. 

play of, early in hand, 412, et seq. 

when not to lead a, 513. 
Throwing high cards to avoid the lead, 472, 497, 498, 556. 

high cards, typical case, 155. 

the lead, 392, et seq., [101], 471, 478, 485, 486, 492, et seq., 
506, 526. 564, 

the lead, with losing trump, 470, 471. 
Tierce major combination, leads of, 60. 

to king combination, leads of, 65, 66. 

to queen combination, leads of, 68. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 597 

Trist, N. B., recent innovation of, 36. 
Trump card, 320, et seq. 
Trump leads, 70, et seq. 

differences of, from plain-suit leads, 71, et seq. 

special, 74. 
Trumps, " always lead from five," exceptions to, 247. 

card turned may justify irregular play, 146, 147. 

card turned should not be forgotten, 322, 323. 

deep finesse at times permissible, 255, et seq. 

deep finesse to keep control, 257. 

exceptions to the immediate return of, 262. 

how to take a force and then lead trumps, 315, et seq. 

keep command of, 253, et seq. 

late leads of, 261. 

late signals for, not a peremptory command, 262. 

lead. of, affected by trump turned, 320, 321. 

lead of, rendered imperative by fall, 259, et seq. 

lead of, when situation demands it, 259. 

leading a high trump after a force, 317, et seq. 

management of, 246, et seq. 

master card with opponent, when to draw it, 264, et seq. 

not always used to make long suits, 250. 

not "invariably" led from six, 251. 

original lead of, when no long suit is held, 247, 248. 

overtrumping, 324, et seq. 

play of, after force, in answer to call, 280, et seq. 

play of, after showing suit, 262, et seq. 

play of, for protection of established suits, 254, et seq. 

play of, holding five, 247. 

play of, holding four, 251, et seq. 

play of, holding less than four, 252. 

play of, in answer to call, strengthening card valueless, 
283, et seq. 

play of, in exceptional situations, 252. 

rash speculative play of, usually disasterous, 249. 

refusal to draw the losing trump, 266. 

third-hand play of, 238, 239. 



598 MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 

Trumps, third hand unblocking in, 327, et seq. 

when to lead from five, 247, et seq. 
Trumping partner's trick, 457. 
Twelfth, the, 406, et seq. 

the losing, 409, et seq. 

the winning, 407, et seq. 
Unblocking, 481, et seq., [444]. 

ace led, 170, et seq. 

ace led, followed by king, 173, 174. 

ace led, abandon call if any sacrifice, 169. 

ace, then knave led, 176, 177. 

abandonment of, knave led, 199. 

abandonment of, 10 led, 207. 

abandonment of, to show number, 175. 

abandonment of, unblocking tactics, 166, 167. 

advantages of, 189, et seq. 

and calling, 167, [442], 447. 

and calling, danger of, 169. 

and calling, knave led, no loss possible, 202. 

call abandoned for, 182. 

discard, 509. 

game, object of, 164. 

getting rid of command, 179. 

importance of, low card led, 229, et seq. 

information imparted by, 163. 

10 led originally, 203, et seq. 

low card led, 226, et seq. 

low card led, importance of, 229. 

low card led, second r@und, 230, et seq. 

play abandoned, due to bad play, 207. 

play and subsequent discard, 182. 

play incumbent on leader, 184, 185. 

play in trump suits, 327, et seq. 

play 9 led originally, 209, et seq. 

play objected to, no grounds for, 181, et seq. 

play possibility of loss, 170, et seq. 

play, value of, to show number, 209, et seq. 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC WHIST. 599 

Unblocking, play, value of, negative inference, 200, 201. 

possibility of loss, modes of avoiding, 172, 173. 

queen led, possibility of loss, 187, et seq. 

reading the hands due to, 209, et seq. 

rendered possible by co-operation of leader, 176, 181. 

return of the highest of three, 180. 

second round, 10 led, 205. 

second round, queen led, 195. 

simply to show four, 165. 

tactics abandoned, due to leader's bad play, 194. 

tactics abandoned, play not a call, 167. 

third hand, co-operation of leader necessary, 207. 

third hand, general rules of, 161, et seq. 

third hand, holding exactly four cards, 162, et seq. 

third hand, knave led, 197, et seq. 

third hand, second round, low card led, 226, et seq. 

third hand, second round of suit, 174, et seq. 

third hand, summary of, 235, et seq. 

third hand, ace, then 10 led, 177, 178. 

third round, low card led, 234. 

to king led, danger of loss, 184. 

value of, cited, 441. 

when ace, then knave is led, 443. 

when queen is led, 185, et seq. 
Underplay, 352, et seq., [101], 477, 479, 558. 

by leader, 353, 354. 

fourth hand, 356, et seq. 

second hand, 355. 

third hand, 356. 
Yarborough, a, 93. 



